The Demon From Shinjuku
by MMiFwI
Summary: What if C.C's contract granted Lelouch a power which literally allows him to live by the phrase, "If a king doesn't lead then how does he expect his subordinates to follow?" The Power of the King brought a solitary existence, so what will the Devil's power bring? Britannia shall know fear. A universe where Lelouch received Absolute Invulnerability rather than Absolute Obedience.
1. Birth by Contract

**This is the first story I've ever done. I've had this idea in my mind since I read Nightmare of Nunnally. Lelouch might be a little OOC, meaning he'll be kinder in various ways. Honestly I don't think I'll make this a series (mainly because I don't have the time, and/or creativity to do so). I just really liked Lelouch's Geass in Nightmare of Nunnally, so I thought why not put it in the original story. If you have suggestions to make the story better (or just any suggestions), or things you think are off tell me via review or PM. Posting this is actually really nerve racking, and I hope you really enjoy it.**

* * *

"Suzaku!" Lelouch watched in horror as his best friend fell to the ground, seemingly lifeless.

This is not how Lelouch imagined his day would go. It was a normal day like any other, he and Rivalz skipped school to gamble against some snobbish noble who underestimated him. It was almost comical how the noble stared at the chess board, wide eyed and opened mouthed, disbelief taking over his expression. After getting the noble's guarantee that the amount they bet would be transferred he and Rivalz left the pathetic noble without another word.

His close friend Rivalz Cardemonde accompanied him on his gambling endeavors mainly out of a way to kill time, and a way to bring some excitement to his mundane school life. He never played in place of Lelouch because he knew he would never be as skilled as the raven-haired teen. Still he enjoyed the gambling runs he and Lelouch did, and the dangers which came with it. The extra money was good too.

As they drove back to Ashford, they were nearly killed by a sixteen wheeler, but due to Rivalz's skillful driving (which simply means he quickly turned right and out of the truck's way) they managed to survive. The truck on the other hand turned left into a construction site which caused it to crash.

Lelouch acted on impulse and quickly jumped down to the truck in an attempt to help those inside. Lelouch was by no means a hero, and if it were any other truck or accident he would have left after calling the authorities, but something caught his eye and he was drawn to the truck. That and all the other pedestrians would rather film the accident rather than check if anyone was injured.

The following events went quickly for Lelouch, in an attempt to get to the driver's seat, Lelouch climbed the truck. As he stood on it something called to him, disorientated and confused he didn't realize the driver started the truck again. The driver backed up and Lelouch found himself inside it.

Long story short, Lelouch was not having a good day.

Once inside the truck he discovered that it was being driven by terrorists, and that it was a stolen truck.

Again, Lelouch was not having a good day.

After several minutes of driving which left Lelouch to think of a way out of the entire situation, the truck violently jolted. Lelouch thought he would use this as his chance to escape, but a Britannia soldier attack him thinking he was a terrorist. He then discovered the soldier was his old friend Suzaku Kururugi.

"You became a Britannian soldier?" Lelouch asked in disbelief.

Their reunion was cut short when the spherical container which sat inside the back of the truck, opened. Suzaku, believing it to be poison gas, quickly jumped on Lelouch and planted his gas mask on his Britannian friend. They were both left flabbergasted when instead of gas, the container held a beautiful, green haired girl. As if on cue, Suzaku's commanding officer arrived with a small Britannian platoon. After a brief confrontation between Suzaku and the officer, Suzaku's refusal to shoot Lelouch and the mysterious girl resulted in the current situation.

"You do look like a Britannian student but it's just not your day." The officer stated.

"Get the girl, then kill the student." He ordered.

"Yes, my lord." The soldiers spoke in unison.

Meanwhile in the driver's seat, a man reached for a button on the dashboard, "Damn Britannians…long live Japan!" He proclaimed as he pressed the button. In seconds the truck was one fire, then erupted in an explosion.

"This is all your fault!" Lelouch shouted angrily at the green haired girl. He and the restrained girl managed to escape the officer due to the explosion, and now stood in a ruined hallway.

"Because of you…no because Britannia, Suzaku is dead."

The girl looked at him indifferently before she stood. Lelouch realized his whining wouldn't save them so he continued running down the hallway the girl straight behind him.

They finally made it out of the tunnels only to run into the soldiers again. They witnessed as they uncaringly killed Elevens as if they were dogs. Lelouch faintly heard the cry of a child before it was silenced by gunfire.

"Damn…what am I going to do?" Lelouch though trying his best not to panic, but failing miserably. As if God decided to curse him, his phone rang causing the ringtone to echo through the abandoned building, he quickly hung up on whoever doomed him.

"That jerk he hung up on me!" An orange haired girl angrily yelled at her phone.

Lelouch tumbled toward a wall after receiving a punch from the officer in front of him, "An appropriate location for a terrorist to die, don't you think? You did well for a student, so I'll give you credit for momentarily evading me. At least you can die with some pride." The officer finished as he pointed his pistol at Lelouch. Said boy froze in fear, and closed his eyes suddenly coming to terms with his demise.

"Don't kill him!" A voice shouted followed by a gun shot.

Lelouch opening his eyes in time to see the girl fall to the ground, a bullet in her head. He kneeled by her, his hand shaking as he watched the blood puddle increase with every passing second.

"We were told to bring her back alive, but it seems we were too late, the terrorists tortured her to death. Does that sound convincing Mr. Student?" The officer asked mockingly as he sneered at the shaking Lelouch.

"Why…first Suzaku, and now this girl?" Lelouch thought, "Is this how I die…what of my goals…what of Nunnally?"

Then the world froze, "You don't wish to die." A voice spoke to Lelouch as visions flashed before him.

"What's happening?" He thought.

"You seem to have a reason to live…what if you had power which allowed you to live?" The voice asked. Lelouch recognized the voice as the girl's.

"I'll make a deal with you…you will fulfill my deepest wish, in return I will give you unimaginable power. The Power of the King. Accept and you will be a human like no other. Yet your life will be vastly different…a different providence, a different time. The life of a king is an isolated one…will you be able to live a life of solitude?"

Various visions of a planet and a bird shaped simple flashed before he made his decision.

"Yes! I accept the terms of this contract!" Lelouch shouted.

The world unfroze, and Lelouch stood, "Tell me…how should a Britannian who hates his country live his life?" He asked calmly.

"What are you some radical?" The officer stated as he aimed his gun at Lelouch again. He froze when he noticed the change in Lelouch's composure. "What's wrong…can't shoot a simple school boy?" Lelouch mocked which infuriated the officer. "You a rather confident bastard, do you not realize you're about to die?" The officer asked angrily.

"Oh…that is where you are mistaken. It is you who will die for the only ones who should kill are those prepared to be killed!" Lelouch exclaimed as a red-bird shaped sigil appeared in his eye. The soldiers stood in fear as purple lighting flashed wildly.

Dark amethyst, nearly black armor appeared on Lelouch's torso stopping under his sternum, then it proceeded to his should and arms, protectively covering every inch when the armor reached his hands where a pair of leather gloves appeared. The armor continued to appear around his feet and legs, forming a set of metallic boots which went up to his thighs. Finally a black cloak emerged from his should and covered his body, it collar stood straight and was lined with gold, giving it a sinister and vampiric look. The cape seemed to be made of a cloth, yet gave of an almost metallic sheen. It wrapped tightly around him hiding his body underneath. To top off the menacing armor, a spiked helmet appeared around Lelouch's head. As it closed around his head, various purple circuits remain throughout the armor giving it a robotic look.

"What?! What the hell are you?!" The officer shouted as he looked at the armored Lelouch. After a second he regained his senses, "What the hell are you waiting for fire!" He ordered and his men began firing madly. Lelouch stood their uncaringly as the bullets hit him and literally bounced off. His cape split on either side into two whips.

"Die!" Lelouch shouted. The whips flew toward the armed men who attempted to run from the speeding whips, but failed as they were sliced in various ways by the razor sharp tendrils. Within a second they were all dead, some lost their limbs, some were halved, and other were decapitated. Overall it was a massacre. Blood had spewed everywhere during the slaughter and some found its way on Lelouch's helmet.

Lelouch came out of his power induced trance, and his eyes widened when he saw the gory seen in front of him. Guts and limbs were littered throughout the floor.

"Since that day…I have lived a lie. My name, a lie, my personal history, too, a lie. Nothing but lies. I was sick to death of a world that couldn't be changed. But even in my lies, I couldn't give up in despair. Now…now I have power…well then Britannia. Let us see how you faire against my Invincibility!" Lelouch wore an evil smile before he remembered the person who gave him this power.

He turned to look at the still frame of his contractor, "Why did you give me this power? What do you want me to do? Was this contract your dying wish?" He thought somberly as he looked at her. He noticed as she looked peaceful in contrast to the horrid scene which occurred, "The least I can do for you is give you a proper burial." He said before bending down and picking her up.

He noticed how the armor bent fluidly with his body which was slightly surprising since from another point of view the armor may seem uncomfortable and restricting. He also noticed how light the girl in his arms was, "Did this armor also give me superior strength? She is as light a feather." He mused as he gently held the girl.

Suddenly the room was engulfed in smoke followed by a Sutherland which screeched to a stop, and began using its factsphere sensor to scan the room.

Villetta Nu was a proud woman, not being born a noble, she worked hard to get to her current position. And she hoped helping stop the terrorists and recapturing the poison gas will put her in a good light with the prince. Already her friend Jeremiah Gottwald was attempting to make her a baroness, and she wouldn't let his efforts go to waste.

She scanned through the smoke, hoping to find the poison gas, but what she found startled her. The royal guard were laying in front of her dead, not of bullet wounds, but of…she didn't know what exactly, but the scene was gruesome. The dismembered bodies of the royal guard lay in a pool of their blood, limbs, and bones.

 _"Did the Elevens do this?"_ She thought as she continued scanning. Her view finally came to a form at the end of the room. The being was holding someone in their arms, female, Villetta guessed due to the long hair. She activated the speaker on her Sutherland, [Who are you! Did you do this!?] She yelled through the speaker. The being looked back at her, its purple visor staring at her unmoving.

[Answer me or I'll sho—]

"You'll shoot? Please." The being said dismissively, his modulated, robotic voice sounding annoyed.

She fired shots around him in attempt to frighten him, [Don't mock me! Now answer or I won't miss next time!] Lelouch looked at the Sutherland, contemplating his next move, _"I must test the strength of this power. In addition to superior strength, and invincibility could this armor also give enhanced agility?"_ He thought. After a few seconds he sighed and placed the girl back on the floor, "Excuse me." He spoke to the girl. He turned to face the Sutherland, "What if it was me what will you do? Shoot me?" Lelouch said insultingly.

 _"Is he mocking me? The audacity!"_ Villetta thought furiously as she aimed her Sutherland's gun at him.

"Shoot me all you want, but the moment you do, you've sealed your own fate. Know that the moment you shoot, it is your own fault." Lelouch proclaimed confidently.

Villetta froze and watched her screen, now that she actually looked at him, she noticed his strange armor like attire. _"A prototype? Some sort of new knightmare like suit? Is he bluffing? Or telling the truth?"_ As she eyed the monitor, Lelouch himself was having an internal struggle, _"I will applaud myself for bluffing so realistically, for all I know the Sutherland's bullets can shred me."_

"Well are you going to shoot? Or are you going to run back to that incompetent prince."

[How dare you mock his highness!]

"If you aren't going to do anything then I will take my leave now." Lelouch went to turn, but a bullet bouncing off his person stopped him. He turned back to see smoke coming from the Sutherland's gun. "Alright then, let see the extent of this power." Lelouch thought as he took off into a sprint, and found himself nearly tripping due to his foot going through the ground "I must be as strong as a knightmare!" Lelouch was not an athletic person, in fact he was the exact opposite, so any physical activities were a nightmare to him. He was brains never brawn, "This power can change that!"

A barrage of bullets hit Lelouch and bounced off without leaving a scratch, he stopped and allowed the bullets to continue hitting him, his smile growing as each bullet bounced and hit the ground. "Is this all a Sutherland can do? Here I thought they were meant to be state of the art." Lelouch said.

Villetta watched amazed at her opponent's ability to take bullets as if they were plastic pellets, "What the hell is this things made of?!" She continued shooting, but nothing changed, _"Should I call for reinforcements…NO, I will not allow him to make a mockery of me."_ She maneuvered the knightmare to face her enemy.

Lelouch eyed the Sutherland carefully, the harkens, and assault rifle specifically, _"Now it's time for me to go on the offensive."_ His plan of attack is simple, get close to the Sutherland and using his whips he would disable the rifle, and would cut through the propulsion system thus rending the knightmare immobile. As the barrage of bullets stops signaling the need to reload, Lelouch sprint into action.

"A full-frontal attack!" Villetta readied the harkens and fired one, into rammed into Lelouch with great force which stopped his momentum and pushed him back a few feet. She quickly retracted the harken and sent the other without a moment's hesitation. Lelouch readied himself as the harken slammed into him, it didn't hurt at all, but it managed to pushed him back slightly. This time though he managed to grab it as it retracted. Lelouch planted his feet as much as he could, and held onto the harken, _"The force of these harkens is something I should be weary of. It may not hurt, but it can still be a problem."_ He thought.

Meanwhile Villetta struggled to free the harken from Lelouch's grasp, "His strength rivals the retracting mechanism, well then let's see how you do against the Sutherland's propulsion systems." She gripped the controls and pulled back, the wheels spinning madly.

Lelouch feet dragged forward as the propulsion nearly threw him off balance, He planted his feet grudgingly, starting a very strange tug-o-war. After a few seconds of holding his ground, Villetta began shooting once again, trying to throw him off balance.

"Let's see if you can take this!" Villetta quickly changed from bullets and fired off a rocket. Lelouch watched as the rocket game flying toward him, but he held his ground, _"To truly know what this power is capable of, I must go to all extremes!"_ He thought as the rocket made contact causing the weak building to collapse. Villetta watched triumphantly as the rubble fell on the armored assailant. She felt the grasp of harken release, and quickly drove out of the fallen building.

Villetta looked at the rubble, sitting back in her seat, "Whatever that armor was, I am sure those back home will be curious about it. Maybe this will be what makes me a baroness." A smile appeared on her face as she realized her Sutherland was recording the entire encounter.

"I should find Lord Jeremiah." She said. As she reached for the controls a sudden alarm went off, "What! The right arm's disabled!" She shouted at the screen before activating the scanner. There standing in front of the rubble was the armored assailant who held the girl from earlier in his arms.

"Impossible!" She shouted before a whip stabbed through the factsphere scanner, "Damn that bastard!" She jolted as the knightmare was hit again, another warning appeared. She looked at the screen which showed the knightmare's damages, "The left spinner is out, the scanner, the right arm… he's trying to get to core" Then without warning one of the whips entered from the top of the cockpit, narrowly missing her head and the controls. Not hesitating Villetta pressed the eject button which sent the cockpit flying away from her attacker.

As Lelouch watched the cockpit fly away he couldn't help but smile, "So this power…this Geass gives me an indestructible armor, enhanced strength and speed. That and my cape can form its own harkens which are razor sharp, and can cut through knightmare armor." He said listing off what the battle taught him before chuckling. His low chuckle turned into a full blow laughter, "Hahahaha! With this power I can finally fulfill my goal. I will destroy Britannia with this power!" Lelouch exclaimed happily to the world with a swish of his hands, standing on the knightmare as if it were a fallen beast he'd slain.

"You sure are flamboyant."

A voice cut him out of his celebration. That voice sounded familiar, definitely feminine, slightly soothing, but it couldn't be her's. He watched her get shot in the head with his own eyes, he carried her lifeless body only moments ago, so when he looked over to where he left the green-haired enigma, he stood baffled when here body wasn't there.

"I'm down here, boy."

Lelouch looked down, and froze when he saw the very person who gave him this incredible power. The same green hair, the same straight jacket, the same eyes, "What?" She asked. Through his helmet he only stared blankly, "You know it is not polite to stare."

* * *

"Having a bad day are we!"

Suzaku opened his eyes, startled by the sudden shout. He looked over to see a grey haired man dressed in a lab coat, and next to him stood a dark haired woman in a uniform.

"Looks like you've lost your chance to reach paradise, Private Kururugi." The white haired man said.

"Um…I'm not sure…" Suzaku sat up, and winced when he felt pain.

"Oh, you're still in the Shinjuku ghetto."

"We are near Prince Clovis' transport, so we are probably in the safest place here." The woman spoke this time. "You were very lucky to carry this with you." She told him as she handed him a pocket watch.

"It deflected the bullet from within your suit." The man explained.

Suzaku suddenly remembered the events, and grew worried when he remembered Lelouch, "What's going on?" He asked.

"Well, it seems the terrorists have released the poison gas, the number of Elevens dead steadily grows." The man explained before a smile appeared on his face, "Now tell me Private, how much experience you have piloting a knightmare frame?" He asked.

Suzaku raised a brow in confusion, "I know the basics, but there is no way an honorary-Britannian could be a knight."

The man twirled a knightmare key on his figure, "What if I proved you wrong?"

"Congratulations! You are subject to piloting the only knightmare of its type!" The man shouted enthusiastically.

The woman looked at him with a small, almost sympathetic smile, "Whether you want to or not."

* * *

Kallen Kozuki sent her Glasgow's harken straight into a Britannian tank, destroying it. Tears appeared as she watched the pointless slaughter of her fellow Japanese.

"Damned Britannians! How dare them!?" She growled in utter hatred.

"Kallen!"

The voice of their leader Ohgi Kaname came over the radio, "Does the Glasgow still work? We have to retreat!" He shouted.

"It's alright, I'll be a decoy. Just get the civilians out of here!" She answered.

"Were pinned down by the Britannians! We need you to give us an opening!" Ohgi told her.

* * *

Meanwhile Shirley Fenette put on her swimming uniform when her phone rang. Looking at the ID, she frowned when she saw it Was Lelouch, "Lulu what are you doing? Where are you? You can't kee—"

"Shirley, are you near a TV?" Lulu asked.

"TV?"

"Sorry, but this is important."

Shirley stood confused at the sincerity in Lelouch's voice, "Fine just hand on a second…,"

Lelouch waited silently for Shirley to continue. He sat in a Sutherland he managed to take from a gullible knight. All he had to say is that he was the son of a duke, and the foolish man exited the Sutherland. Disposing of him was far too simple.

"So is that your girlfriend?"

Lelouch sighed when he remembered the other occupant of the Sutherland. After gaining a powerful suit of armor through supernatural means, Lelouch thought he'd seen it all then his contractor, C.C., rises from the dead and proclaims herself an immortal "Code" bearer. He'll have to ask her to go into specifics after the current mess.

"No, Shirley isn't my girlfriend." He answered lamely. In the few minutes he was acquainted with C.C. he deducted she a laid back, apathetic woman who had a good hold on her emotions. She was also very secretive and did not answer any of his questions about his Geass. He felt her shift behind him making him slightly uncomfortable. The thing about the Sutherland's cockpit was it only seats one person, so when C.C. decided to join him in his endeavor he found out how small the cockpit truly is.

"Alright Lulu, what should I change the channel too?" Shirley's voice knocked him out of his thoughts, "Any news channel, is there anything about Shinjuku?" He asked.

"Shinjuku? Not really, there just talking about some traffic restriction." Shirley explained.

"Are there specifics as to why it's restricted?" He asked.

"They aren't saying anything specific, no." She replied.

Lelouch sat Sutherland a hand on his chin, once he got into the knightmare he deactivated his Geass which dispersed the armor as if it were never there.

"So they are covering up what happening, and when they kill all the Elevens they'll probably blame it on the terrorists," Lelouch scanned the surrounding area, watching as a map appeared on his screen, "Lulu, you're gambling again aren't you?" Shirley disapproving voice spoke, "I told you and Rivalz how dangerous that can be." Shirley's caring, motherly tone brought a smile to Lelouch's face, "Yeah, I know and I'm sorry, but can you do me a favor and tell Nunnally that I'll be home a little later than usual. Bye." Lelouch abruptly hung up causing Shirley to huff in anger, "Why does he always hang up on me!" She shouted

* * *

Lelouch watched the monitor as if it were a chessboard, "As long as they want to keep this a secret, they'll be unable to call in more forces, so they have to work with the pieces they already have." Lelouch considered his options, he watched the various pawns on the board, "Obviously Clovis' transport will be surrounded by Sutherlands, so it will be hard to get to him, so running in head first would not be ideal."

"So, boy, what will your plan be? You now hold the power of the king, so what will you do? Will you charge in, and completely wipe out the Britannian forces, or will you wait in the shadows, allowing the rebels to fend for themselves?" C.C. asked him almost satirically. Lelouch ignored the immortal woman, taking in what she said without reaction, "From what I know, this power's main function is invulnerability, which seems to be the absolute power the armor holds. The strength and speed is an extra which allows to go up against a Sutherland, but still needs my personal knowledge of hand to hand combat."

"You don't seem like you have much physical capabilities." C.C. scanned his rather skinny and frail body. Lelouch narrowed his eyes in annoyance and slight offense, "You wouldn't be wrong. Anything physical was always the bane of my existence and still is, but this new power erases that physical limit. Even then, my knowledge of martial arts is vague, so if I were to run in head first, I am sure I will fail against such a great number of knightmares. I may be invulnerable, but I'm not unstoppable, and the last thing I want is incarceration." Lelouch finished his explanation gaining a raised eyebrow, "I must say I am impressed to your analysis, already you know most of your Geass' capabilities and in such a short time too." C.C. complimented.

"You say 'most', so you do know the full specs of this power. Is there a reason you refuse to tell me?" Lelouch turned the best he could to look at her, trying his best to seem intimidating. C.C. gave is a smirk, "If you are trying to intimidate me then you'll have to try harder than that. Besides, I know as much of your Geass as you do. Each Geass manifests differently, usually fulfilling one's deepest wish. To you, a boy who hate his country, it gave you the ability to literally destroy it with your own hands, so who knows what will come from that." C.C.'s vague answer bothered Lelouch, but he could tell the stubborn woman's lips were tightly sealed. He pulled out a hand held radio from his uniform, he eyed the device which strengthened his resolve.

"A king is only as good as his people," Yes that is what he will do, "But the Elevens, no, the Japanese will not be alone for if a king doesn't lead, how does he expect his subordinates to follow? I will start a revolution! I will destroy Britannia!"

* * *

Kallen Kozuki struggled to fight against a Sutherland. Already her Glasgow had lost an arm, and the Sutherland were obviously superior to the older model. As she retracted her harken, her radio notified her of another Sutherland joining the first, "They don't let up!" She shouted as she pressed forward and out of incoming fire. She quickly drove her Glasgow away from the Sutherlands and took a shelter near an old bridge. The monitor beeping caught her attention, and she looked at it in desperation, "Only thirty minutes left?!" She shouted. At this point the rebellion will be done for.

"Take the tracks to the west entrance!"

A voice came over the radio, but it wasn't Ohgi or any other rebel member, "Who are you! How did you get this code?!" Did the Britannians somehow intercept their channel?

"That doesn't matter for now," The voice assured, "What matters is this battle, and if you want to win then you must follow my instructions!"

Kallen looked at her radio incredulously, "Win?" She whispered. Could she trust the voice or was it a trap by the Britannians? Was what the voice said true? To actually win. _"Dammit, it's not like I has any other choice."_ She thought before changing her Glasgow's direction towards the train tracks. Quickly maneuvering her knightmare onto the track she sped west as the voice as said. Her sensor picked up two Sutherlands straight behind her, "Damn those Britannians! What do I do now?!" She shadowed at her radio.

"Since you followed by instructions, I assure you that victory will be swift. Now jump on the train!" The voice shouted, Kallen did as it said so she quickly piloted the Glasgow onto the train and jumped forward on each car. She turned her view backward in time to see a Sutherland attempting to jump on the train only to have two harkens destroy it.

"Is that the voice?" She thought as she used the factsphere to determine the location of the hidden Sutherland. Noticing how her other pursuer was putting up a fight, she turned at charged the damaged Sutherland, "Take THIS!" She shouted as she neared the end of train. She finally jumped onto the Sutherland only to have the cockpit eject, "Damned coward." She mumbled spitefully. Her anger dissipated as she focused her attention on her new found ally, "You saved my skin, but how did you get a Sutherland?" She asked as she turned toward the ruined building only to see nothing there, "Where did he go…?"

"Hey, Kallen! What was the voice we heard?" Ohgi caught her attention.

"So he contacted you too?" Kallen asked.

"Yeah! Yoshida's group should be here soon t—

"Are you the leader?" The radio interrupted Ohgi, he looked down at his radio, "Um…I guess, Yeah!" He answered unsurely.

"On this train is my gift to you, which will be your tools to victory, but if you wish to use them and truly win then follow my order to the letter." The voice finished as Kallen opened up one of the train cars. Her eyes widened when she saw its contents, "Sutherlands? But…how?"

The others opened up the various cars only to see the same thing as Kallen. Their joyful voices of praise to the mysterious voice overtaking the air.

"Now, Miss Glasgow Pilot!"

"Yes!"

"What is the status of your Energy filler?"

"About 15 minutes."

"Alright recharge it. I'll contact you again in ten minutes."

The voice cutout leaving Kallen to sit back and think over the past few minutes. How did the mysterious person manage to get all this? Is he part of another rebel group? After putting her Glasgow to charge, she left it and walked up to Ohgi and Tamaki, "Do you have any idea who that is?" she asked.

"We were going to ask you the same thing?" Ohgi replied.

"I don't think we should trust him, what if this a trap?" Tamaki added angrily.

"What Britannian would be willing to give us these many Sutherlands?" Minami Yoshitaka stated. The bespectacled motioned the various Sutherlands, "Minami is right, whoever this is I feel they can help us win." Naomi said. When she finished they turned to Ohgi, their leader, awaiting his input on the subject, "I don't really know what to think, but he gave us Sutherlands, and helped us when we were pinned, so I think we should follow him for now." He stated earning nods from his fellow rebels.

* * *

Their decision was proven to be beneficial as in the last few minutes the rebels had pushed the Britannians back with the voice's instruction. It started with the Glasgow being a trap which resulted in a small victory for the rebels then as they continued to listen to the voice they managed to push back the Britannians.

"Sir Glaube ejected, his frame is gone!"

"They must be intercepting our transmissions! Change the Codes!"

"We have!"

"Then do it again!"

The command center aboard Clovis' transport was frantic as they tried to get the upper hand, and completely failing. The Elevens seem to have caught a second wind, or somehow managed to predict their plans by the letter.

"We have to push them back!"

"I think I can help with that!"

Everyone in the room turned towards the giant map where Lloyd Asplund watched via video call.

"We don't have time for you! We are in the middle of an operation!"

"Then it is time for ASEEC's special weapon to make its appearance!" Lloyd spoke

"Lloyd we don't have time for you!" Clovis walked up to the map, anger written all over his face.

"Sir! We just lost an entire platoon!"

"What?! How is that possible?" Clovis shouted disbelief marring his features.

"Looks like the enemy set a trap, and caused the ground to collapse. We've lost almost all units!"

Clovis looked at the map in horror, "Who the hell am I fighting?! Can they be better than Tohdoh?" Then the prince realized that is resolution was staring right at him, so his face became indifferent as he faced the smiling man on the screen, "Lloyd! Can your toy win?" He asked the eccentric scientist. Lloyd's smile grew, "Of course, and please do call it the Lancelot."

* * *

"Suzaku did you read the manual?" Cecile Croomy's voice resonated through Suzaku's earpiece.

"More or less." Suzaku answered half-seriously, half-serious as he finished zipping up his new body suit.

"Well done, you scored highest in the simulation." Cecile praised as Suzaku walked up to the Lancelot as it was uncovered, "So this is the Lancelot…" Suzaku stated an awe of the white and gold knightmare frame.

"Yes, the world's first 7th generation knightmare frame developed by us the, Advanced Special Envoy Engineering Corps. It may be state of the art, but that doesn't mean you should be reckless. The new frame doesn't have an ejection system, so be careful." Cecile warned.

"Right, thank you Miss Cecile." Suzaku entered the Lancelot his heart beat increasing as Cecile read of all the specs of the Lancelot, then came the moment of truth.

"Lancelot, LAUNCH!"

* * *

"P-1, answer me! What happened?! What is it?!" Lelouch shouted only to receive static. For the past few minutes they had the upper hand. Everything was going according to plan, and Lelouch could read his brother's tactics like a children's book. He sat triumphantly in the cockpit of his stolen Sutherland with C.C. smooshed behind him, "It seems that your little game is falling apart. What will you do now?"

Lelouch ignored her as he stared into space thinking of the recent events "Is one unit really doing this?" He thought before a scowl blemished his face, _"No! No one will stop my plans, I will fight this interloper myself if I have to!"_ But could he win? That is a thought that quickly appeared in his mind. He fought one on one with a Sutherland, but if this is some new model, he would have no idea what its weaknesses are, its layout, or any of its functions. He would be at a great disadvantage if he fought this meddler. One thing he would have would be the element of surprise since they would not expect an armored man facing them head on. Another problem would be their superiors, there was no doubt that the command center was seeing everything the knightmare was seeing. If it truly a new model and this was its 'test' run then everything happening to it would be recorded. Now he is at an impasse, fight and potentially reveal himself to Britannia, or retreat and admit defeat.

"Dammit, what should I do? Admit defeat, or reveal myself to Britannia?" Lelouch mumbled completed engrossed in his own thoughts.

"Oi! Boyo! Watch out!" C.C. shouted which startled Lelouch before he realized a knightmare was moving toward him. It was unlike any he had seen, _"So this is what is ruining my plans!"_ He thought as he narrowly brought up the Sutherland's arms to protect himself. He and C.C. jolted as the Lancelot's fist crashed into the Sutherland's crossed arms. He fought momentarily against it, but felt the Sutherland be pushed back.

"Did you orchestrate this massacre?!" Suzaku yelled angrily as he pushed the Sutherland back.

"It's just one pilot! The audacity!" Lelouch shouted in disbelief as he fought against the Lancelot's might.

Their struggle cut short when the decaying building's floor collapsed due to their weight. They fell several floors before stopping. Lelouch and C.C. groaned, it was already hard enough to share the cockpit, so when the Sutherland was freefalling, they couldn't help but bump each other's heads, "Well good job, you managed to keep the Sutherland in one piece." C.C. commented as she rubbed her head.

"Don't patronize me." Lelouch grumbled in frustration as he too rubbed his aching head. He looked back to his monitor and regained his senses when he noticing the Lancelot spinning impossibly towards him. Again his Sutherland was sent crashing backwards. This time Lelouch prepared himself for the impact, "We have to get out of here." Lelouch said, but his plan fell apart as the Lancelot stood over him ready to attack.

Then a lifeline made itself known in the form of a read Glasgow. The red knightmare went to punch the Lancelot with its own fist, but the 7th generation grabbed it without any effort. A voice came over Lelouch's radio, "I'm repaying the favor! Now get out of here!" Kallen shouted as she sent a harken toward the Lancelot. Again the advanced knightmare merely grabbed the harken before crushing it.

"This is it for me!" Kallen said before ejecting herself from the knightmare. Her cockpit flew out of the building and into the distance.

Meanwhile, Lelouch sped off in the Sutherland, trying to distance himself from the Lancelot, "I have to remember, the most useful element in battle is the human one."

"We aren't clear yet, boy." C.C. warned him as the radar picked up the incoming Lancelot.

"That damned monster!" Lelouch cried as he turned the Sutherland and started firing. Lancelot simply took the bullet in stride, so Lelouch began firing on the building causing debris to fall in Lancelot's path. "He's just causing avoidable damage." Suzaku angrily yelled. His beeping radar caught his attention, and his eyes widened when realized what it was. Quickly acting he stopped pursuing the Sutherland, and jumped to catch the falling mother and child. He gently held them in his giant hand, and tried his best to land without much recoil.

Lelouch saw this, confused by the pilot's gesture, "Saving someone in the midst of battle, Elevens no less. Maybe this pilot is reasonable." Lelouch turned the Sutherland around and headed toward the Lancelot.

Back at the ASEEC command center, they viewed the Lancelot fee, "So he saved someone? Rather strange boy isn't he."

Suzaku stared at the mother and child, grateful they weren't hurt. He was slightly saddened as the woman ran away in fear, but his sadness didn't last long since his sensor picked up an incoming enemy. He turned ready to destroy his foe.

[I surrender!] The Sutherland's speakers ring.

Suzaku froze unsure if he heard that right. The Sutherland was unmoving with its gun facing the ground.

[Then come out of the cockpit with your hands in the air!] Suzaku replied. The Sutherland did nothing, and Suzaku took that as a refusal.

[Do it now!] Suzaku shouted through the speakers again.

[How do I know you won't shoot me the moment I come out?] The Sutherland replied.

Suzaku understood the pilot's worry, [If you are truly surrendering then I'll treat you as a prisoner of war. You'll be kept alive.]

[Before I get out, answer one question. Why did you save that woman and child?]

Suzaku was taken back by the question. [Because they had nothing to do with this! She was put in this situation because of you terrorists!]

Lelouch frowned, finally understanding [I understand, it seems your superiors have lied to you]

Suzaku froze, unsure of what his counterpart meant.

Meanwhile his conversation was being streamed the command center, "What is he doing conversing with a terrorist!" An officer shouted.

Clovis sat in his throne, a frown adorning his features.

[What do you mean?] Suzaku questioned.

[You seem to be under the impression that the "terrorist" are the ones who conducted this massacre when in fact it was Prince Clovis.] Lelouch waited for the Lancelot's reaction.

"That pilot seems to be rather ignorant of what is going on in the army he serves." C.C. remarked

Clovis sat in his seat indifferently before his face contorted into an angry scowl, "Order that pilot to destroy the enemy! I will not allow a terrorist to speak badly of me!" Clovis commanded spitefully. Those in the center followed his orders, and not a second later a Cecile appeared on Suzaku's screen, "Suzaku, Prince Clovis has ordered you to destroy the Sutherland."

Suzaku looked at the purple haired woman before nodded solemnly, "Alright, Miss Cecile."

[I'm sorry, but I've been given orders to destroy you.] Suzaku spoke as he readied the Lancelot.

[I see…then I'm sorry as well.] The Sutherland then pointed its gun downward and fired off a rocket. Dust cloaked the air, removing visibility from Suzaku's view. He quickly activated his factsphere scanner, "Is he trying to escape?" Through the thermographic scanner he could see the Sutherland still standing where it was unmoving. He then realized that the cockpit was open, "He got out?" Suzaku continued scanning, but his thermographic view was suddenly gone from his screen, "What?"

Cecile appeared on his screen, looking confused and concerned, "Suzaku the Lancelot's scanners were destroyed!"

Suzaku stared at her shocked before bursting into action, "Do we have any clue what it was from?" He asked as he looked at his monitors trying to get a view of what was attacking. Without the scanner he couldn't see through the dust, "How did something manage to hit the scanners?" The Lancelot's scanners were not as obvious as a Sutherland's and resided on each side of its upper torso shielded by heavy armor.

Then out of the dust a black tendril appeared aiming for the Lancelot's head. Suzaku quickly moved the Lancelot out of the whips way, but failed to notice the other. A damage notification appeared on the upper corner of his monitor, "What? The left arm has lost its shield!"

Back in the command center Cecile typed at her computer madly assessing the damage, "The Blaze Luminous system in the left arm was destroyed!"

"What, what, what! How is that possible? No Sutherland harken could do that! The Lancelot's armor is far stronger than a Sutherland's!" Lloyd shouted in disbelief as he walked over to her screen.

"I know, but so far the damages include both factsphere scanners, and the left Blaze Luminous shield." Cecile explained as she watched the Lancelot's feed. The dust cleared finally allowing the Lancelot to see.

Suzaku quickly turned the Lancelot looking for the culprit. The Sutherland hadn't moved and simply lay limply.

"Private Kururugi! Do not let my baby be damaged any further! If you have to, retreat! We cannot allow the Lancelot to take severe damage!" Lloyd yelled in his ear.

"Understood sir!" Suzaku turned to head back to the command center before a shift caught his eye. Acting fast his activated his right arm's shield which rebounded the tendril causing sparks to fly.

"Suzaku, your shield can only deflect so much before it deactivates! Whatever that was, it lowered your shield energy level to seventy percent!" Cecile informed the pilot. Suzaku absorbed the information as he stayed alert. Another black whip appeared from rubble and headed for his landspinner. He quickly jumped into the air, somersaulting over the tendril. He now had a clear view of whatever it was, "Is that some sort of harken?" Another oncoming whip caught his eyes and he only just avoided it, having it scratch his right arm.

"The Lancelot has received damage in its right arm!" Cecile exclaimed to the center. Lloyd looked at her, "What of the shield?!" He asked.

"The damage was a graze, so the shield is still active." She replied.

Suzaku finally landed guarded from three whips which appeared from a cloud of dust.

"Private, do you have visual!" Lloyd shouted.

"No sir, it's hidden by dust!" The Lancelot jumped over another whip before activating his harkens, "Two can play that game!" He shouted as he brought down the harkens on what he assumed was the source of the whips. They hit causing even more dust to erupt, "Every time I attack, I push up dust. I'm helping it at this point."

Meanwhile, Lelouch grew angry as a harken came down on his armored body, he grunted but felt no pain. He held his arms crossed above his head stopping the harken as another crashed next to him, "That knightmare's armor is far stronger than a Sutherland's, but it can only last so long!" He shouted as he sent another whip through he harken's wire detaching it from its tip.

"The left harken's wire was severed!" Cecile shouted in disbelief.

"What?! Impossible!" Lloyd followed.

Suzaku received the damage report and quickly retracted the wire. He went to retract the right harken, but was met with resistance before it retracted. The Lancelot quickly jumped into the sky, dodgy various whips that appeared from the dust. He jumped off a destroyed building before flying at the enemy at high speeds. He guarded against several whips with his remaining shield, and before ramming into his enemy he flipped the Lancelot around bringing the Lancelot's feet smashing into the ground and the enemy. The force created a new dust cloud as the shockwave destroyed the remaining support of a nearby building. The area was covered in dust, and Suzaku cursed the lack of visibility.

"Did I get it?" Suzaku thought.

Lelouch lay on the ground, Lancelot's foot on top of him. He'll admit he never thought he would ever be in such a state, good thing it didn't hurt. He attempted to lift the foot but found himself struggling, "I guess even a powerful suit like this can't lift metric tons easily." He thought as he pushed against the foot. After a few second of struggling he managed to lift it a few inches and quickly sent his cape's whips into the leg.

"The left leg received two punctures! One in the ankle and another below the knee joint." Cecile reported causing Lloyd to nearly have a panic attack.

"Private, get back here now! If that thing come back legless any future funding will be nonexistent!" Lloyd shouted. Suzaku nodded within his cockpit and quickly turned at sped off. The whips in his legs sliced through it as he sped off.

Lelouch stood quickly, the dust which hid him was blow away by the Lancelot's sudden burst of speed.

"I won't let you hinder my plans any further!" He shouted as he aimed his arm at the fleeing knightmare as if reaching for it. He expected whips to fly toward the knightmare, but was left in shock when a bright light appeared at the end of his opened palm. A Geass symbol appeared on his palm, in between the 'wings' was the word 'DOM'.

Suzaku jerked violently as the Lancelot screeched to a stop, "What?!" He checked for any damages, but found none. He moved the controls, pressed various buttons, but found himself confused when nothing worked.

"Private why have you stopped?" Lloyd asked.

"I don't know, the dashboard isn't working. I can't do anything!" Suzaku answered as he continued trying to make the Lancelot respond.

"Cecile any more damages?" Lloyd turned toward his assistant.

"No sir, the Lancelot is still active, and has received no further damages. Current energy levels at 50%." Cecile answered.

"Private Kururugi, get back to the command center! You still have 50%." Lloyd was usually a care free man, but he couldn't help but growl angrily. Whoever was damaging his baby will pay severely.

"I am telling you sir, I can't. Everything is still on, but I have no control!" Suzaku went to open his cockpit, and found that even that wouldn't work.

Lelouch held out his hand aiming it at the frozen Lancelot, "Is this some sort of EMP?" He thought, "Or…" The thought was irrational, but everything about this power was impossible.

"Reverse knightmare!" He yelled. The Geass symbol and the word 'DOM' glowed brightly then the Lancelot started speeding backwards. A disturbing smile made its way onto Lelouch's face, "I can control knightmares!" He kept himself from laughing maniacally. In his plead the Geass answered, allowing him to stop the Lancelot from escaping, "But to think, my power would manifest in such a way."

Lelouch walked up to the white frame, "Now I will be far stronger, now nothing will be able to defeat me!" He placed is hand on the leg of the knightmare before uttering one word, "Shutdown."

Suzaku console was swarmed by white electricity, "What the—", he then found himself in complete darkness.

"Lloyd the Lancelot was shut down!" Cecile panicked as she watched all of the Lancelot's system's completely turn off. "That's not possible!" Lloyd walked over to her screen, "Private Kururugi doesn't have the ability to perform a full shutdown!"

Cecile typed away on her console, "I don't think it was Suzaku."

"Are you telling me an EMP took out my Lancelot?" It was an empty question, but Cecile answered anyway, "That is the most plausible answer."

"But that's impossible, there isn't an EMP strong enough to fully deactivate my Lancelot. Even the core's gone! Reboot the systems!" Lloyd commanded, "Private Kururugi! Private can you hear me!"

"The communications array is out as well so we have no way of communicating with him." Cecile stated

"So it looks like your Lancelot was nothing more than a glorified Sutherland." Clovis' face appeared on their screen a sneer on his face. Lloyd cursed out of the camera's view before walking into the prince's view, "I assure your Highness, that this battle was won due to the Lancelot. The moment the Lancelot stepped foot on the field, it decimated the terrorist forces. Any remaining terrorists fled with their tails between their legs." Lloyd said putting on his care free attitude.

Clovis stayed quiet before ending the communication, "The nerve of that man."

"Sir! We've received reports that all terrorists have vanished! Should we pursue?"

Clovis looked at the commander, "I will hand it to that idiot; his toy surely is something impressive. Maybe now I can beat Schneizel." Clovis smiled victoriously as he thought of the possibilities of such a weapon.

Meanwhile with Suzaku

The Japanese boy was at a loss, nothing he tried worked, and he even tried to exit the cockpit, but nothing worked. The Lancelot was dead. "What do I do now?" He sat in utter darkness, and could only wait as the command center rebooted the system. His thinking was cut short when the cockpit opened, "What?" He stated as he slit out. The first thing he saw was black, then he was staring at purple visor.

Lelouch gawked at the pilot, _"Out of all people, it had to be you."_ He was hoping to kill the pilot, or at least get some information out of them, _"At least you're okay, Suzaku."_

Suzaku stopped staring at the cloaked being, and began unloading his handgun. The bullets simply rebounding and skid of the helmet, leaving the assailant unharmed. The sound of clicking followed the quick barrage of bullets, signaling an empty magazine. From his seat Suzaku jumped at the armored enemy attempting to knock him off balance with a kick. Suzaku's leg crashed into the helmet, and he instantly recoiled in pain, but ignored it and followed with his other leg only to have it grabbed. His cloaked adversary slammed him onto the top of the cockpit causing pain to erupt from his back. His bullet wound reopened, "You should stop," Lelouch spoke, "You'll only hurt yourself."

Suzaku stood without trouble, hiding his pain, but he didn't get far due to Lelouch grasping his neck, and lifting him, "You know you cannot win, yet you continue fighting."

Suzaku tried to free himself from Lelouch's grasp, kicking and punching only to wince in pain, "How could I stop? As long as terrorists like you are allowed to roam free, more people will die." Suzaku stared at the emotionless helmet, curiosity causing him to wonder who was under the mask, "So many people died in this ghetto, and it is the fault of you terrorists! How can you live knowing so many innocent lives were taken away?" Suzaku yelled accusingly, raw emotion in his voice.

Lelouch could only shake his head, "You truly are a fool. Do you really think all these people were killed by poison gas?" Lelouch saw a something in Suzaku's eyes, it was small, but it was still there. Suzaku knew was Lelouch was saying was true, but he was lying to himself.

"The people of this ghetto were slaughtered by the Britannians, gunned down like dogs. I witnessed woman, children, the elderly, and anyone else considered inferior to Britannia be killed without mercy. The Japanese were killed by Britannia not the 'terrorists!" Lelouch felt his anger rising at his friend. Suzaku stared at him, his face unresponsive.

"Are you going to kill me?" Suzaku asked.

"I should," Lelouch's grip and his counterpart's neck tightened. Suzaku began fighting again, but fell limp a few seconds later. Lelouch dropped Suzaku back into the seat, "But I still think of you as my best friend, you damned idiot."

"Is it smart to let him live?" C.C. voice came from below the Lancelot, "His ideology is the complete opposite from mine. We couldn't be more different, yet we are exactly the same." Lelouch stared at the unconscious form of Suzaku and sighed, "If only you saw things like I did, we could very well make Nunnally's dream a reality."

"So what is your plan now?" C.C. lazily leaned on the Lancelot's left leg. Lelouch looked ahead, being able to make out a collection of vehicles in the distance.

"C.C. I am going to need you to die again."

* * *

Cecile tried everything, but she couldn't get the Lancelot back on the grid. She couldn't even turn on the text based communication. "Override Blaze Luminous system, reboot, damned error again!" She yelled, at this point Lloyd had entered decided to sit down and help her.

Lloyd typed at impossible speeds trying to reboot the Yggdrasil drive, but continued to receive error after error, _"It's almost like someone hacked into the core…this better not be you Rakshata!"_ He thought angrily.

Then, as quick as they went down, all the systems flared to life surprising Lloyd and Cecile.

"Umm…Yggdrasil Drive back online, energy at 50%, Blaze Luminous system operational in the right arm levels at 40%, Factsphere sensors still down, Landspinner Propulsion System still operational, communication seems to have taken damage and are completely down. Rebooting communication now." Cecile worded off the information swiftly, Lloyd received the information with ease as he watched the statistics on his screen, "Was it really just an EMP?"

"Lloyd, I've managed to connect to the Lancelot, but both visual and audio communications are down. The best I could do is a text base connection." Cecile turned to him awaiting instructions, "Quickly then, message Private Kururugi, ask what his situation is!" Lloyd ordered.

Cecile quickly typed in her message

{Suzaku, communications are down, what is your status?}, the message read.

After a few seconds of waiting she received a message, "He replied sir, he states 'Lancelot's functions fully working, whatever attacked me retreated. Orders?'…" Cecile finished reading Suzaku's message. Lloyd thought for a few minutes before answering, "Tell him to bring the Lancelot as quick as possibly! We can't let the Lancelot stay out there!"

Cecile nodded before typing {Return to the center}

Again a few seconds passed before she received a reply {What of the terrorists?}

"Tell him to return, if the terrorist retreated then the battle is over!"

{The battle is over, return as quickly as you can}

{Very well, I'll be there soon}

"The Lancelot is returning, it should be here in a few minutes." Cecile for everyone.

"Alright everyone, prepare the charging station, grab your tools! We have some work to do when the Lancelot returns!" Lloyd ordered the engineers. It was rare to see him so serious so they quickly listened and readied themselves for the Lancelot's arrival.

* * *

Clovis listened to the various reports from his commanders, casualties, injured, damaged, etc.

"So it seems the terrorists have vanished, so any news on the girl?" He asked. His men stiffened before replying, "Negative sir, we have yet to find her." Clovis rested his chin on his hand.

"Tell all troops to return, we'll send out another platoon to find her." Clovis ordered.

They did as they were told, ad ordered the retreat. Then coincidently, Bartley Asprius turned to face the prince, "Sir, we just found her!" Bartley yelled.

"What when?" Clovis as confused at the sheer timing.

"A few minutes ago a soldier returned, and insisted he see you. Apparently he found her and brought her here himself!" Bartley said. Clovis stared at him before coming to his senses, "Bring in her! If this is a hoax I will have their head!" Bartley quickly ordered the guards to bring the soldier and prisoner.

Soon enough a soldier wearing a gas mask walked in, and in his arms lay the very girl who was covered in blood signifying her lifelessness. The soldier walked up to Clovis' throne, "Good job soldier, tell me how you managed to find her?" Clovis asked.

The soldier stiffened, the green haired girl still in his arms, "Sir, after my Sutherland was destroyed by the terrorist, I was left to traverse through the ghetto on foot. By chance I found this girl and a member of the royal guard. The royal guard was severely injured, and I didn't have the proper medical supplies to help him. His last orders were for me to bring this girl straight to you." The soldier answer was said in a respectful tone, slightly frightened to be in the presence of Prince Clovis.

"Very well done! As expected of my guard, loyal to the very end! Bartley, patch me in to the loud speaker, I wish to congratulate my men!" Clovis exclaimed joyfully.

Bartley did as he was told and turned on the speaker.

"Rejoice men for victory is ours! As expected of Britannians you have fought well, and the terrorists have run like the cowardice dogs they are! All men return to base we shall celebrate this victory, and leave the Eleven bugs to writher in their own filth! All Hail Britannia!" He finished flamboyantly and sat down as the communication was cut off. He turned his attention to the soldier carrying C.C.

"Now as for the girl, hand her to Bartley's men, they'll deal with her imprisonment." Clovis told the soldier.

An officer walked up to C.C. and took her form the soldier's arms. He began walking away with the unconscious, green haired girl. Clovis watched the transfer before returning his attention to the soldier, "Now I believe it is just to—" Clovis focused on the soldier's hands which to his surprise and horror held six grenades, three in each hand. His eyes widened further when he realized two of the grenades no longer had their levers. His face contorted into one of fear, before the soldier sent the grenades sprawling behind him. The last sight Clovis saw was the soldier's body being surrounded by dark purple, metal plates.

"Checkmate." The soldier said before an explosion overtook the deck.

* * *

Outside the Lancelot arrived, and stopped in front of the ASEEC vehicle.

"Alright men let's get to work!" Lloyd commanded. Various engineers ran towards the Lancelot, some on scissor lifts, others simply examining the damages on the Lancelot's legs.

"Sir! Private Kururugi isn't responding!" An engineered who stood on a scissor lift called out. Lloyd raised an eyebrow before turned back to the control room, "Cecile is the cockpit's opening mechanism broken?"

"Um…no, it's fully operational." Cecile replied. Lloyd looked back at the Lancelot only to see the engineering knocking on the cockpit. "Cecile, open it from your console." Lloyd told her before running up to the Lancelot. He looked up at the engineer, "Well?" He asked. The only reply he got was the engineer pulling out an unconscious Suzaku, "What?" Lloyd asked before an explosion instinctively made him duck.

He turned toward the explosion and his eyes widened to see the deck of Clovis' transport in shambles. The windows were blown off, and black smoke escaped from the cavities.

"A terrorist made it past the defense line?!" He cried doubtfully

* * *

Clovis' head was spinning, and he couldn't be help but be nauseous as he was lead to be ever it was he was going. He assumed it was soldier leading him to safety, but that thought was quickly destroyed as he hit the ground hard, jolting his head clear. He tried to clear his vision, but struggled to so as his head refused to stay still. After a few seconds he could make out figures in front of him.

"W—what…who are you?!" His view cleared and found himself in front of a monster. Nearly black armor covered his body, and his head was adorned with a spiked helmet. Covering his body was a long, black cloak which added to his menacing appearance. He realized he was no longer on his transport but on a decaying building, and noticed C.C. stood impassively behind his kidnapper. The figure didn't answer as he shoved an earpiece into his face, "Order a cease fire, order all your men to stand down and leave the Elevens alone. Tell them if they attack anymore Elevens you'll consider it mutiny and have them executed! Do it now!" Lelouch angrily shouted as his half-brother who grew annoyed. He pushed the pistol onto his head. Clovis took the earpiece which was linked to the loud speaker on the transport. He ordered the cease fire, exactly as Lelouch ordered. His command left several knight confused at the sudden change in orders, but obeyed nonetheless.

"So what now? Some drinks? A calming game of chess." Clovis put up a brave front as the strangely armored man stood in front of him.

"That actually sounds familiar, but it's not fun when I always win. Remember how we always played? Back in Aries Villa."

Clovis turned serious when he heard the name of his Pendragon home, "Who are you? How do you know this?"

"I am hurt," Lelouch helmet became pieces and disappeared revealing his charming face, "To think you don't remember your own brother." Lelouch smirked as he watched Clovis' reaction turned to one of shock, "The only son of Empress Marianne, and 17th in line to the throne, I, Lelouch vi Britannia have returned." Lelouch proclaimed extravagantly with as swish of his cape. At this point any dizziness Clovis disappeared, and he stood facing his long lost brother, "Lelouch…we though you died."

Lelouch's smile grew, "Oh, I did die, but now I have returned. The boy you know is gone replaced by me, and I have returned to change everything."

Clovis took a step back, and Lelouch continued to aim his gun at him.

"I—I am so happy…we must return to the mainland with the good news." Clovis spoke with a shaky voice, trying his best to sway his brother. "And allow myself to be used as a diplomatic tool? To think you forgot why I disappeared in the first place."

Clovis froze when he remembered the reason Lelouch had gone to Japan, "Empress Marianne, my mother, was killed by you, disguised as a terrorist attack."

"I…know nothing! I swear I didn't do it!" Clovis cried desperately.

"Then tell me who did! Tell me who killed my mother!" Lelouch yelled at the cowering prince.

"Lelouch, please I don't know, but…Cornelia and Schneizel they'll know more than I do!" Clovis was so desperate it slightly made Lelouch feel guilty, only slightly.

"Did they have her killed!?"

"I don't know I swear, buy I'm sure they know more than I. Please listen believe me!"

Lelouch lowed his gun, "I believe you brother," Clovis sighed in relief, but it didn't last long since Lelouch stepped forward and pressed the gun again Clovis' forehead, "But that doesn't mean I can forgive the senseless murder today. For that I Lelouch vi Britannia sentence you to death."

Clovis had no chance to protest as a bullet passed through his brain, ending his life.

"Even if he did all those horrible things, he was still your brother." C.C. said.

"That may be so, but those who kill must always accept death themselves. Clovis ceased to be my brother the moment he ordered such an unrequited slaughter, and as a revolutionary I must fight for justice even if it means fighting family." Even though he said this C.C. can see the small trembling of her contractee's hands. She gently put a hand on his shoulder as a form of support.

"So what are we going to do with his body?" She asked.

Lelouch's masked formed around his head again, "Send a message."

* * *

Suzaku opened his eyes, expecting himself to be in the Lancelot then the memories flooded his mind. He quickly sat up only to be pushed down by Cecile, he seemed to be outside in a medical tent, "You should rest. You've wound was recently opened." She flashed a reassuring smile which calmed him. His mind went to the person who knocked him unconscious, "What happened? How did I get back here?"

"Well we don't know the exact details, but after the Lancelot regained power, you drove back here. You managed to make it back, but you passed out do to blood loss." Cecile explained puzzled by Suzaku's confusion. Suzaku stared at her with a baffled expression, "Miss Cecile, the person who attacked me knocked me out before the Lancelot regained power, so it's improbable that I drove it back here." Suzaku explained. Cecile was taken back by his explanation.

"But…then how did the Lancelot return?"

"That is what I don't understand."

Their conversation was interrupted by Lloyd, "Oh, welcome back to the land of the living, Private Kururugi." He said with a smile. "Yes sir, so how is the Lancelot?"

Lloyd expression saddened, "It was damaged in various places, but it isn't something we can't fix. Now can you shed some light on what the hell you fought?" Lloyd awaked Suzaku's respond with clear curiosity. Suzaku managed to sit up, and looked down, "To be honest I am not sure. Did the Lancelot's cameras manage to capture him?" He asked.

"Unfortunately when the Lancelot lost power, any recordings were lost in the process." Cecile explained.

Suzaku looked down again thinking of a way to explain what he saw, but shouting drew his attention, "What is going on?" He asked. From what he could hear it sounded like various shouts, mainly revolving around Prince Clovis.

"Did something happen while I was out?" He turned to Cecile and Lloyd awaiting a reply. They looked at each other before facing him, "Someone managed to inside Prince Clovis' transport," Cecile began "The deck was bombed, and no one has seen the prince since."

"What? Was he kidnapped?" Suzaku asked worriedly.

"No one knows, some believe it was treason, while others think the terrorists somehow managed to get past the line of defense." Lloyd answered. The commotion outside got louder and louder.

"Now I am curious as to what is going on." Lloyd walked to the end of the tent as a soldier passed by, "Excuse me, you there, what's going on? Where is everyone headed?" He asked.

"Prince Clovis' body it's been found!" The soldier said before running off.

After some convincing Suzaku was allowed to follow Cecile and Lloyd to the body, and he froze when he saw the body. Various soldiers carefully pulled the corpse of Prince Clovis from its place on a Sutherland, apparently the Sutherland drove up to the command center with Clovis tied to its chest.

"Who could have done that?" Cecile asked her face slightly pale. Suzaku thought about the past few hours, and only one person came to mind. A person cloaked in black, and shielded behind a spiked helmet. Only one word came to his mind when he saw that monster, one insensible word, "A demon."

* * *

 **Thank you for making it through. I hope you enjoyed, if not then I am so sorry.**


	2. Finding One's Assets

**Here is another chapter. I thank you for all the praise I've** **received, and for the viewers who wish for me to make this a series. I am not sure if there will be a pairing, given I haven't really thought that far, but if I were to choose it would be with more than one girl. This chapter was hard to type, and is rather boring in my opinion, but I'll leave that to you. I suggest you read the end notes for they will have more information on rather I will continue this or not. Thanks reading this far, enjoy.**

* * *

After the long battle in Shinjuku, Lelouch along with his contractor C.C., returned to the Student Council building which also acted as his and Nunnally's home. As they neared the door, Lelouch quickly halted, "C.C. do you have another name that I can use?"

C.C. turned back, "Why is there something wrong with C.C."

Lelouch gave her a 'seriously' look before sighing, "If you are to stay with us then I must introduce you properly to Nunnally, and giving her your initials will not be proper."

C.C. stayed quiet before facing the door again, "Call me whatever you like. It makes no difference."

Lelouch doesn't know how he is going to deal with this woman. Her nonchalant attitude annoys him to no end.

"Master Lelouch, welcome home." Sayako greeted like she always did, standing at the doorway she slightly bowed. We she stopped she noticed C.C. for the first time, "Oh, and who is this?" She asked kindly.

Lelouch quickly walked up, "This is…Samantha…Samantha Green. She'll be staying with us for a bit." Curse him for stuttering. Sayako clearly didn't believe it, she was a skilled kunoichi so lying to her was nearly impossible. Now that Lelouch thought about it, Sayako's skill of infiltration and her loyalty would actually be beneficial in his rebellion. Should he tell her?

"Big brother, is that you?"

He looked passed the maid, and his eyes landed on the reason he started this revolution. His sister, Nunnally vi Britannia, appeared sat in her wheel chair and dressed in her sleepwear which consisted of a set of pink pajamas. His stressed mind soothed as he saw his sister, "Nunnally, it is late you should be in bed." His protectiveness took over as he walked inside and passed Sayako. He kneeled in front of his sister, "I'm sorry, Master Lelouch, but Lady Nunnally was adamant in waiting for you." Sayako said.

Lelouch sighed, of course she would worry. What type of brother was he to make his sister worry? "I'm sorry for coming home late Nunnally, but I'm here now so you should get to bed." He told here.

"Alright brother, but I thought I heard another voice." The young girl stated.

"Ah, yeah…she's a friend, she'll be staying with us for a bit. Is that alright with you?" Lelouch held his sister's hand in hers, Nunnally's became confused, "Is she your girlfriend?" The girl asked.

Lelouch was a loss for words unsure what to say before C.C. appeared, "It more of a contractual relationship. He made a promise for the future."

Nunnally brought a hand to her mouth, "The future? Do you mean marriage?"

"N-no, it's nothing like that!" Lelouch attempted to correct the misunderstanding but to no avail.

"Don't worry, brother, I will support you no matter what you do even though it is sooner than most." Nunnally made her hand into a fist in determination. Lelouch simply gawked at her, watching the situation crumble. Luckily he was saved by a super maid, "Lady Nunnally, it really is late, you still have classes tomorrow." Sayako walked behind the disabled girl, ready to lead the girl to her room, "Sayako's right we should get you to bed, allow me." Sayako took the handles to the wheelchair into his hands, silently thanking Sayako for saving him.

After making it to Nunnally's room he lifted her from the wheelchair, and placed her onto her bed, "Brother…I was really worried today." Her soft spoken voice drew his attention. He grabbed her of her hand once again, "I know and I'm sorry. Seems like this useless brother can't help but make you worry."

"It's just…with all I hear about terrorists, I can't help but worry for you." Nunnally was clearly fighting sleep as she spoke, grasping her brother's hand as if he'd disappear, "Don't worry, Nunnally, I won't come home this late anymore." His words were unheard as Nunnally fell into a deep slumber.

 _"I'm sorry Nunnally, but I must lie to you."_ Lelouch thought solemnly as he kissed his sister's forehead. He silently walked out of the room and closed the door. Sayako stood in the hallway as he closed the door, he turned "Sayako where's C.C." The maid raised an eyebrow, "Sorry I mean, Samantha."

"Lady Samantha wished to bathe, so I ran her a bath." Sayako explained. Lelouch nodded, only here for a few minutes and she was already making herself at home, as expected of C.C.

"Sayako do you mind waiting in the living room, there I will explain some of what is going on." Lelouch told her. She bowed, "Would you like me to make some tea?"

"Yes, that sounds lovely thank you."

She bowed once again before leaving to perform her duty. Lelouch arrived in his room, deciding to change of his school uniform. As he removed it he realized how filthy it had gotten, covered in blood and dirt, _"Maybe I should ask Milly for another."_ He thought as he slipped into a night shirt and sweats. The feel of clean clothing was oddly comforting, "If I am going to rage a war then I have to get used to getting myself dirty, both physically and metaphorically." He said as he exited his room. He quickly made his way to the living room where Sayako waited with a kettle and cups. After situating himself across Sayako, and drinking his tea he leaned back in his chair. _"I've never realized how relaxing this could be."_ He leaned his head back allowing the feeling of nirvana overcome him. Seems like being in a life or death situation really makes one enjoy the simple things.

Her master's actions confused Sayako, but she said nothing. She waited for him to explain what he had done for the duration of the day.

"Sayako…can you help me?" The question was completely out of the blue. Sayako did not expect him to question her loyalty, "I would hope so, Master Lelouch." He tilted his head down, finally making eye contact with her. She noted that he looked strangely tired, "Sayako, you know of my hatred for Britannia."

"Yes."

"Along with my goals."

"Yes."

"Very well. I hope you can understand that I cannot tell you everything, but today I took the first step in my fight against Britannia, but in doing so I have already formed enemies. The way I took this first step is also a point of worry, so I must have your word, Sayako, I must know that, above all else, you will protect Nunnally no matter what happens. Even if it means going against me, I must know that you will remain loyal to her." Lelouch's seriousness once again caught her off guard, but she ignored it and pressed on.

"I am not entirely sure if I understand, but you have my word, Master Lelouch. I swear on my honor as the 37th Successor of the Shinozaki School."

Lelouch smiled at his maid, "I knew I could rely on you, and I know you probably have questions. I will answer them in due time, but for now I am very tired and would appreciate a good rest." Lelouch stood followed by Sayako, "Thank you for trusting me with this task. I'll help you to the best of my ability."

* * *

As Lelouch felt the lovely darkness of sleep take him, he couldn't help but feel happy that he was finally getting some sleep. The feeling of relaxation the sleep brought overtook him, "Lelouch stop sleeping and get back to work!" and there it goes.

He opened his eyes to find himself, not in his comfy bed, but in the Student Council room, with Milly staring at him angrily. Milly Ashford was comparable to a goddess in beauty, perfect figure which men would lust for, and porcelain features. She was also the Headmaster's granddaughter, thus her sharing the school's name. The Ashford family were huge supporter of the late Empress Marianne, which is why their noble status died with her.

He sighed, "I get it, and you don't need to beat me."

"That's what happens when you abandon your friends!" Rivalz added enjoying his friend's pain.

"What exactly where you yesterday anyway?" Shirley asked him

"Nowhere important." Lelouch mumbled as he focused on his work.

"Enough with the chatter! We have to finish counting the budget today!" Milly encouraged.

A quiet olive haired girl, Nina Einstein, spoke up from her position in the corner, "If we don't…"

"Then the clubs will break in with torches and pitchforks!" Rivalz exclaimed jokingly causing Milly to sigh, "I really wished you would take your seriously." Milly chastised.

"It isn't completely his fault, you did forget to tell us the deadline sooner." Shirley added.

"She shouldn't have told us at all, then we could give up quicker." Rivalz commented gaining Lelouch's attention.

"Now that is a plan that I can get around."

"GUTS!"

Everyone winced at the sudden noise, "Oh no here she goes again." Rivalz waits for the inevitable lecture. Everyone's eyes were now on their president. "Prez, no matter how many time you "cast" your GUTS! Spell it won't work." Lelouch deadpanned at the older girl's antics.

"Don't be like that Lulu, you know you want to work harder!" She wiggled her finger in front of her as if it were a wand.

Lelouch simply stared at her, "Yeah...no…"

"Don't worry Prez, your spell has worked on me!" Shirley always tried to play along with Milly's antics, and surprisingly she always managed to brighten the mood. "Good! After all, a sound body leads to a sound mind! And I can clearly see you've been filling out in the right places." Milly eyed her underclassman perversely.

"I've seen you in the locker rooms." Milly added which received a blush from the orange haired girl, "I swear Prez, you're such a perv!" Shirley shouted as she covered herself from Milly's leering eyes.

They made their way to class, Shirley still angry, "I swear, the prez is just an old man in a girl's body."

"She can't help it though, it's just the way she is." Nina's soft voice added.

"Let's just enjoy the freedom." Rivalz said before they entered the classroom. The moment they entered they realized how various laptops were on desks with the new playing, "Terrorist used poison gas? Shinjuku's only thirty minutes away."

"Now that you mention it, I did see smoke coming from the ghetto maybe that was it."

Shirley turned to Lelouch, "Didn't you mention Shinjuku yesterday?"

"Yes, I was receiving information from a live source." Lelouch lied with such confidence, Shirley could only nod in understanding.

A single memory suddenly may its way to his mind,

 _ **"I…know nothing! I swear I didn't do it!"**_

Followed by a gunshot. Lelouch brought his hand to his mouth and quickly made his way to the bathroom, leaving three confused students behind.

While inside the bathroom, he unloaded his stomach, coughing and gagging, "No matter how powerful I get, I am still human." For some reason that slightly relieved Lelouch. As he rinsed his mouth he wonder about the news, _"Why have they kept a secret? Is it to keep people from panicking? Even then, when will they announce it…?"_

* * *

Jeremiah Gottwald sat in his chauffeured limousine leaving a local military hospital. At his side was his trusted subordinate Villetta Nu.

"It seems General Bartley is very secretive on the subject." He told her. He was visiting the only survivor of the Shinjuku bombing, Bartley Asprius, because of the mystery behind the attack. Even though Bartley survived he was crippled due to the shrapnel. His left leg was forced to be amputated. Any information revolving around Prince Clovis' murder was so minimal, that they could do nothing but listen to rumors. From what Bartley told Jeremiah, a soldier appeared out of nowhere with a girl. Bartley's vagueness when it came to why exactly the girl was deemed important infuriated Jeremiah, but also caused him to grow curious.

"However this terrorist managed to get into the deck revolves around this mysterious girl Bartley mentioned." He said.

"Do you think Bartley had a part in the murder?" Villetta asked.

"No, he was one of Prince Clovis' closest supporters. Some are even labeling him a war hero for surviving the bombing." Villetta's scowl increased, "He doesn't deserve such praise. Sir, now that we are without a viceroy we purebloods should take this chance!" She exclaimed passionately.

He turned to her a knowing smile adorning his features, "Patience, Villetta. Let them praise Bartley, we can use this to our advantage. Bartley is a coward, and without Prince Clovis to hold his leash he will be a lost puppy. He'll be easily manipulated. Besides I feel that girl, and the enemy you encountered are united in some way."

After making it back to the command center in Shinjuku, Villetta wasn't sure if she should tell anyone of her encounter. After sleeping on it and constant thinking, she determined to tell Jeremiah unofficially. As she expected of her friend, he kept the encounter a secret, believing the knowledge could be useful in the future.

* * *

As Lelouch returned to class, a mop of red hair made him stop momentarily.

"Kallen, thank goodness, your back."

"We've gotten worried, you've been out for ages."

"Have you gotten better?"

The red head nodded, "Yeah, as long as I don't exert myself, I'll be fine."

Lelouch inconspicuously took his seat, eyeing the girl, _"I knew I've seen her before!"_ He remembered his time in the truck, and witnessing the Glasgow being activated. Stealing another glance, he failed to notice a certain bluenette sneak up on him, "Something catch your eye, Lelouch?" He teased.

"Have you fallen in love with her?" Rivalz continued unaware of Shirley's eavesdropping. "No, I'm simply surprised. She's already missed an entire term." Lelouch said.

"Kallen Stadtfeld, apparently she has some sort of illness which keeps her out of school. Even then her grades are top of the class, and she's the only daughter of the Stadtfeld family so she is loaded too. In my opinion you've made the right choice." Rivalz finished by nudging his friend teasingly.

"Please don't pull me into your fantasies, Rivalz." Lelouch said. Rivalz fainted pain, "Oh your no fun."

Later that day, Lelouch watched Kallen from behind a pillar as she ate.

Just now realizing how creepy he must seem, stalking a girl as she ate. _"Those friends of hers never leave her alone. They are like her unofficial entourage."_ Finally he saw an opening when her group ran away in fear of a bee. Kallen quickly ran behind a bush only to have another bee appear. Having enough of her weak façade she lashed at the bee knocking it out of the air, "This is fucking frustrating, acting like some sick princess." She placed her sandwich in her mouth, cursing as she continued to eat. She noticed movement to her left and froze when she saw a raven haired boy. _"Shit did he see me?"_ She inwardly panicked, but quickly put on her frail persona

" _I'll admit she is rather convincing with her acting. No one would expect this "fragile" girl to be a fierce rebel who can skillfully pilot a one armed Glasgow."_ Lelouch silently laughed.

"Can, I help you?" Kallen's soft voice severally contradicted with her aggressiveness from yesterday.

"Miss Stadtfeld, correct?" Lelouch put on a kind smile.

"Y-yes."

"I've been meaning to talk with you all day after finding out you aren't in any clubs." Lelouch said.

Kallen groaned on the inside, _"Great another recruiter."_

"I'm sorry, but due to my illness I can't do much physically. Thank you for your consideration." Kallen bowed her head, hoping her efforts will cause the boy to leave her alone.

"That's exactly the reason why I invite you to join the Student Council."

Well that was not what she expected. It is true that she wasn't in any clubs because of her "illness", but she was never approached by the Student Council before, so why now?

"Lulu! Kallen! If you don't hurry we'll be late for Science Prep!" Shirley interrupted them from a window. Lelouch turned to face her, "I forgot that it's my turn to set up! I'll never hear the end of it!" He turned and ran back into the building. Before he was too far he quickly turned to face Kallen, "Please consider my offer, Miss Stadtfeld!"

After school ended, Lelouch found himself aimlessly walking Ashford's halls, _"This power is a great weapon, but it's useless if I don't know how to properly use it_. _"_ He stopped and turned to watch the setting sun. The sky was mix of blue and orange, presenting a beautiful array of colors.

" _I have to find some way to test the extent of these abilities. Specifically the extent of my knightmare control."_ Lelouch found himself walking toward his home on campus.

" _Maybe I can ask Milly to let me borrow the MR-1 for tests. Now I have to come up with an excuse as to why I need it."_ He walked up the steps to his home, _"Maybe I could gamble for another MR-1, to keep things discrete."_

"Welcome home, big brother!" Nunnally greeted joyfully. Sat across her was Sayako who was showing her origami.

"Sorry I'm late, I found myself wandering the school lost in thought." Lelouch smiled at his sister and maid, happy that he was allowed to have such pleasant greeting. One must enjoy the small things.

"I will get dinner ready, Master Lelouch." Sayako stood and bowed before walking off.

After a few minutes of waiting, Lelouch and Nunnally found themselves in the dining room, enjoying Sayako's cooking, "Miss Sayako was teaching me origami. It's incredible what you can make out of paper." Nunnally sipped her spoon, stopping when some soup dribbled down her chin.

"You needn't tell me all at once, I'm here all night so take your time." He wiped the spilled soup.

"Thank you, big brother. I'm glad you came home earlier today. I was really worried yesterday." Nunnally told him. He looked down to this plate, "I know and I'm sorry, it's just traffic was wild yesterday."

"You know," Nunnally started as she lifted a paper crane, "They say if you fold a thousand cranes, your wish will come true. So if you have anything to wish for…?" She titled her head curiously.

"Oh no, you should use the wish for yourself Nunnally." He gave her a gentle smile.

"Well…If I had a wish then I would use it to make this world better. With no war and no discrimination. I would really like a world like that."

"Don't worry Nunnally, when you can see again, I'm sure the world will be peaceful."

"Really."

"I promise Nunnally, that this world will be changing soon."

" _You and I are on a distinct road, Nunnally. The moment we were exiled we were sent down a singular path. No matter who we've met on the path, there is no guarantee that they will always remain by our side. The Ashford's, will they always be there? What of Shirley or Rivalz? Would they abandon us the moment they know of our past? That is what happens to those born into royalty. Our fate is to be political tools, or to survive on our own. I promise Nunnally that I will never allow you to live as a tool for our father. Even if it means I will make the world my enemy. Even if I have to destroy this world and recreate it piece by piece. I will make your wish come true, Nunnally."_ Lelouch felt his sister's hands wrap around his and then link his pinky with hers.

"Miss Sayako taught me this, it is a way the Japanese make a promise. Cross my heart, hope to die, eat a thousand needles if I lie!" She finished chanting the small chime.

"Well now I'm scared, I may have to eat a thousand needles," _Or several thousand,_ "I guess I'll have to refrain from lying."

With dinner done, and Nunnally in bed, Lelouch decided to give Sayako her first instructions.

They stood in the living room as he handed her a voice-recorder, and new phone, "Sayako, I need you to keep these with you at all time. When this phone rings, I need you to play the recording up to the receiver, and as soon as it finishes hang up, and continue with your day."

The maid took both items eyeing them before facing her master, "May I ask what these are for?" The kunoichi looked at him for an answer.

"You may, and to put it simply they are need to keep one of my most useful pieces under surveillance." His answer seemed to satisfy Sayako's curiosity for now, so she simply bowed and continued her usual duties.

* * *

"So, how's the school life?" Ohgi asked over the phone.

"Dull, and sickening. I had history class, the lies they tell these Britannians are insulting. Can't I just head back with you?" Kallen asked.

"After what happened in Shinjuku, the army's been on high alert." Ohgi explained.

"What of the voice on the radio? Have you heard anything else from him?" Kallen couldn't help but think about that mysterious voice. Deep down she felt herself wishing that the voice would contact them again.

"Whoever that was, I think we should wait for them to contact us, beside I'm sure Naoto would want you to live an ordinary school life." Ohgi couldn't help but look at a picture of Naoto.

"Very well Kaname-sensei," Kallen started a smile adorning her face, and her voice jokingly serious, "I'll get passed my rebellious faze and focus on my school work…I should probably get going class will start soon.

"Alright then, I'll contact you later." With that Ohgi hung up. Kallen placed her phone back into her jacket, and leaned against the railing, _"Enjoy school life? As if I could enjoy being around these damned Britannians…"_ Her mind went back to the raven-haired teen from yesterday.

In class she found herself staring at the boy, Lelouch, if she heard right, wondering if he will approach her again. It wasn't as if she wanted him to approach her, it was more her being cautious around the boy. She didn't know why but she felt weary around her purple eyed classmate.

As class ended, Lelouch put away all his school supplies before Shirley walked up to him, "Lulu, we're heading over to the clubroom." She said, a smile on her face.

"Go on ahead, without me. I'll be there soon." Lelouch dismissed Shirley as he walked up to Kallen who turned to face him, "So have you decided?" He asked. The girls around Kallen squealed completely misunderstanding the situation.

"Yes…about that, do you mind if I speak with you in private." She replied.

Lelouch raised an eyebrow appearing confused, "Very well."

They left the squealing girls in the classroom, and made their way into a secluded area. This secluded area ended up being off the main campus near the Council's clubroom.

"Now that we are in private, I hope that you've chosen to join." Lelouch said.

"About that, I was wondering why you would recruit me. It's no secret that I am ill, and I constantly miss school because of it. Based on that, I don't think I would be beneficial to the student council since I would probably miss more school in the future thus neglecting my duties." _Hopefully that sounded convincing._ Kallen thought as she waited for Lelouch's reply.

" _You truly are clever Q-1, from the minimal interaction, you've already grown suspicious. This lines up perfectly."_ Lelouch's smile faded, his face turning serious.

"I will give you credit, you are very convincing." Lelouch's vague answer made Kallen stiff.

"I-I'm not sure what you mean." She tried to act extra weak.

"You needn't act much longer, I know you were in Shinjuku yesterday." As soon as he said the words Lelouch had a knife at his throat, "How do you know about that?! Who are you?!" Kallen pressed the pouch's knife at the boy's neck nearly drawing blood.

Lelouch looked at her emotionless, unaffected by the knife, "I'm simply a messenger."

Kallen got the hint and pressed harder, "Who was that guy? That voice?"

Lelouch looked down at her, his face not revealing his thoughts, "It is not my place to say, I was only given orders to make contact with you. My phone is in my left pocket, he's speed dial 'zero'." Lelouch didn't move a muscle as Kallen reached for his pocket. She groped around before pulling out his phone. She flipped it open skeptically before pressing zero. She put the phone up to her ear, listing as it rang, when someone finally picked up, she held her breath.

"Have you made contact, L-2?"

 _It's him!_ "How do you know who I was?! Why did you help us in Shinjuku?!" Kallen shouted. There was a brief silence before she heard him again, "Good to know you are alive, Q-1. I know you have questions, and I will answer them in the future, but for now I ask that you remain with L-2, for he is my personal messenger. He'll inform you and your group of my plans when I can't. Until we met again Q-1."

"Wait!" The phone call ended leaving Kallen gawking at the phone. She turned to Lelouch refusing to lower her knife, "Who are you? How did he find out who I was?" It was more of a general question.

"I have to get to the Student Council room. Will you join me?" Lelouch knew Kallen wouldn't refused. She grudgingly removed her knife from his neck, "Fine, but if this is some trick then I won't hesitate to stab you through the neck." She threatened.

"Noted."

* * *

Bartley Asprius held his head. He sat in a transport leading down the highway, its contents being Prince Clovis' coffin. He managed to get out of the hospital after arguing with the doctors since he learned that they were transporting Prince Clovis' body and couldn't allow himself to remain in bed. The doctor reluctantly gave him a prosthetic for his left leg, and some prescription for the pain.

He stared at the coffin which held Prince Clovis, "Sir," A voice came over the intercom, "We've moved the research facility to Narita."

"Good, I'm sorry your highness, but it seems I've failed you." Bartley was the only survivor of the bombing, various members of Clovis' guard and Code-R were killed. Their investigations brought up nothing, and Bartley's testimony was the only evidence.

"This has fallen apart, half of my men were wiped out, Prince Clovis was killed, and Code-R's main experiment has escaped. I pray you may forgive me Prince Clovis." As he drowned in his sorrows, a ringing caught his attention. He grabbed his personal phone looking at the ID, "What does Margrave Gottwald want now?" He said angrily before answering. He listened to the voice before his eyes widened, "WHAT! You've found Prince Clovis' murderer!"

* * *

Lelouch and Kallen walked down the path leading to the club room. The luxurious building only a few feet in front of them, "Alright now answer me, how did he know who I was." Kallen stopped walking and demanded answers.

Lelouch turned to face her, "It was rather simple, he suspected someone in Ashford other than myself, and you were the prime suspect. After all you are almost never at school, so we put two and two together. Honestly, it was a gamble, and I'm known to be rather good at gambling." He gave her a snarky smile which annoyed her to no end.

Kallen snarled at him, _"Cocky, Britannian bastard!"_

They entered the clubroom and were greeted with the sight of food.

"It's about time you got here." Rivalz ran up to the pair.

"Convincing her took longer than I thought, but here we are." Lelouch excused as Shirley and Nina joined Rivalz.

"This is the new member, Kallen Stadtfeld. I believe introductions are in order. I'm sorry I didn't do this sooner, but I'm Lelouch Lamperouge." Lelouch held out his hand which Kallen reluctantly shook.

"I'm Rivalz Cardemonde, any question simply ask me, and I'll help ya out!" Rivalz shouted happily.

"I'm Shirley Fenette, it's good to meet you, Kallen." Shirley cheerily shook her hand.

"Um…," Nina started shyly, "I'm Nina Einstein…welcome." She stated bashfully.

"And I'm Milly Ashford, the council president, welcome Kallen!" Milly exclaimed. Kallen was taken back by everyone joyful greetings, her hatred for Britannian faulting. "Thank you, the pleasure's mine." Kallen greeted back.

"Excuse me, but can someone help me with these?" A soft voice cut in. Kallen turned to see a young girl appear, entering the room in a wheel chair. She looked at the younger sister confused which Milly noticed.

"Oh, this is Nunnally, she's Lelouch sister." Milly exclaimed as she took the pizza and cakes from Nunnally.

"I am still in middle school, so I can't be a member yet." Nunnally explained.

"That doesn't matter, you're an honorary member so there's nothing to worry about." Rivalz added.

Nunnally smiled, "It is nice to meet you, Kallen."

Kallen found herself taken by the young girl and smiled back, "It is nice to meet you as well."

"Alright then, how about we kick off this party!" Rivalz pulled out a bottle of champagne, "We can't drink, we're not of age." Shirley said.

"Come on, relax, its only one glass." Rivalz went to pop the cork, but Shirley quickly stopped him, "No, Rivalz, we'll get in trouble!" Rivalz struggled to keep it away from Shirley, finally deciding to toss it to Lelouch, "Catch!"

Lelouch instinctively caught it only to have Shirley charge at him, "I won't let you either." Lelouch lost his balance causing both he and Shirley to fall, but not before the cork flew off causing the champagne to douse Kallen, soaking her. They stared silently at the red haired girl before Nunnally broke the silence, "What happened?"

Kallen couldn't help but be angry as she showered off the champagne, _"This is what I get for listening to that bastard."_ She thought. Her mind going to Lelouch, _"Just who the hell is that voice, and what does Lelouch play in all this? Why would a Britannian support a terrorist?"_

A knock on the door caught her attention, "Its Lelouch. I brought you spare clothes." She sighed, "The curtains drawn you can come in."

She heard the door opening and Lelouch walk in. Lelouch averted his gaze as he realized he could see Kallen's shadow, "Sorry about them, they can be a handful. These are some of my clothes, hope you don't mind." He stated as he placed down the clothes.

"You went back to the dorms rather quickly."

"I actually live here, the principal lets my sister and I stay here since it'll be hard for her to live in the dorms."

"That makes sense." Kallen could hear Lelouch's voice change whenever he spoke of his sister. Clearly he cared for his sibling deeply.

"Anyway, I am curious as to why a Britannia would be a terrorist?" Lelouch leaned against the bathroom's counter.

"I should be asking you the same question." Kallen countered.

" _Trying to gain some information are we? Well, I'll indulge a little…"_ Thought Lelouch, "You saw my sister, right…"

Kallen thought of the disabled girl, "Yeah." She couldn't help but feel sorry for the girl, after all she probably lived in ignorant, unknowing what evil her country commits.

"Well to put it simply, Britannia is not a place for a girl like her. The whole 'survival of the fittest'. In a world where only the strong survive, there is no room for a disabled girl, which is why my mother brought us to Japan in the first place. To escape the social Darwinism that plagues Britannia." Lelouch explained.

"I see, so you are doing this for your sister?"

"That is the main reason yes, anyway I should probably get downstairs. Come down when you are finished." Lelouch went to leave, but Kallen couldn't let this opportunity go to waste, "Who is he?" She asked.

Lelouch stopped, but still faced the door, "Honestly I don't know myself. I've only met him once in person, and even then he covered his face. What I do know is that he hates Britannia, and wishes to destroy it." Lelouch listened for Kallen's response.

"So is he just using us? Does he even care about Japan?!" Kallen grew angry at the 'voice'.

"He hates the Area system as much as he hates Britannia. I promise you that he intends to free Japan and restore it to what it once was." Lelouch left the bathroom without another word.

When he made his way downstairs, he could the sound of the television. As he entered the room everyone turned to him, "What's going on?"

"Lelouch, it awful!" Nunnally cried.

"Prince Clovis' was found dead." Milly told him. Lelouch pretended to be shocked by the news, _"Why have the reveled it out the blue? What do they intend to do?"_

The screen changed to show a press conference where the Pureblood faction were lined up, Jeremiah Gottwald giving a speech, "Prince Clovis was taken from us! He fought for peace and justice against the Elevens, and died with dignity. He was a martyr, thus we must bury our sorrow, and proceed with his wishes. We mustn't allow the Elevens to get away with such a hideous act!" Jeremiah finished strongly causing a roar to erupt from his followers.

"This just in," The screen changed again as the news anchor reported the new findings, "The man suspected as a murderer has been captured, he is Suzaku Kururugi, a former Eleven and honorary-Britannian."

By now Kallen walked in and watched silently behind everyone, _"Was this his doing?"_ She thought.

Lelouch watched in horror as the feed cut to Suzaku being led by armored soldiers, _"Of course, they're going to use Prince Clovis' death as a way to disband the honorary-Britannian system. They're using Suzaku as a scapegoat!"_

" _The Japanese people who remain will be hunted!"_ Kallen now realized the terror this murder will bring.

Meanwhile all over Japan, the various rebel groups were glued to the screen.

"That could have been us! We should have taken credit!" Tamaki stormed off angrily, slamming the door to Ohgi's chambers as he left. Ohgi sighed as he faced the picture of his best friend, "Naoto, what should I do? I have no idea how to be a leader." He spoke in despair.

Later that night, Lelouch was putting Nunnally to bed, the news fresh in his mind.

"Brother, that was Suzaku, they were talking about wasn't it?" She asked.

"Yes it seems he's still alive." Lelouch pulled the covers up tugging in Nunnally.

"Yeah, we haven't seen him since the war ended…it's not true, what they said, right?"

"Of course not, Suzaku would never doing such a thing. It's clear they've made some mistake." Lelouch took her hand in his, "Try not worry about it, and get some sleep, okay."

"Alright…big brother." Nunnally quickly fell asleep.

* * *

"Admit it, you killed Prince Clovis!" Jeremiah shouted at Suzaku slamming his hand on the table as he did so.

"No sir, I had nothing to do with the murder. Ask Earl Asplund, he can testify for me!" Suzaku was sent to the ground after a punch connected with his face.

"At least have the dignity to confess you dog! Maybe then you can retain some honor!"

* * *

 **A few days later**

Lelouch sat comfortably in a luxurious room, across from him sat a noble who made the mistake of underestimating him. The noble angrily sat back in his seat putting a pipe in his mouth and lighting it, "As much as I hate this, it's my loss. So what do you want?" The noble eyed the school boy across from him.

"1,000,000 pounds." Lelouch stated confidently. The noble slammed his fist on the table.

"Why does a school boy like you need that kind of money?"

"That is of none of your concern. Is that too much for you?" Lelouch mocked the noble pushing on his pride.

"You'll get your money, Now get the hell out of here!"

* * *

"Oh, we've lost the most crucial part of the equation." Lloyd wined. In front of him the Lancelot was be inspected after being repaired.

"Can't we find another pilot?" Cecile questioned.

"Oh please, Cecile you know as well as I that we won't find a better pilot. His operational efficiency was 94%! There is no way someone else will beat that." Lloyd told her.

"Well why we don't tell them that. We both know Suzaku's couldn't have murdered Clovis." Cecile said.

"I've already given my testimony, but they've simply tossed it aside. General Bartley may be the next in command, but it is clear the Purebloods are simply using him as a way to get what they want. Those simple minded purebloods think that no pureblooded Britannian could commit such a crime, and by blaming an Eleven they are paving the way toward the disbandment of the honorary-Britannian system." Lloyd finished. Cecile looked at him worriedly, "But what about Suzaku?"

"There's nothing we can do. His fate is already decided."

* * *

At Ashford, the principal had finished a speech a eulogy for the late Clovis. The entire school was put in the gym for the assembly. Lelouch simply zone out during the whole. Afterward as he left in a swarm of student, Rivalz ran up to him, excited that it was over.

"Hey Lelouch, any plans? Since classes are cancelled maybe we should go gambling again?" Rivalz said.

"No way you aren't gambling, it's too dangerous." Shirley stopped the boy's excitement, "Oh come on, Shirley don't be a stick in the mud!" Rivalz wined.

"She's right, I think I'll go home for today." Lelouch agreed.

"What? You too!" Rivalz shouted.

Unknown to Rivalz and Shirley, Kallen was within hearing distance, and eavesdropped on the friends. The ringing of a phone caught all their attention. Lelouch pulled out his phone, "Sorry guys, but I have to take this." Lelouch quickly left his friends. Shirley and Rivalz simply stared at the retreated boy, confused as to what was happening. Kallen silently left the crowd, and followed Lelouch.

Lelouch had gone behind a building, away from prying eyes, and Kallen managed to catch up just barely.

"Alright, I'll tell her." Lelouch hung up and turned not at all surprised to see Kallen there.

"Was that him?" She asked.

"Yes, He ordered me to give you your next set of instructions." Lelouch waited for Kallen to nod, "Right."

"You are to go to Shinjuku Station's South Exit, there you will meet at 1600 hours. You are allowed to bring four others from your group, one of which must be your leader. So total, including you there must be at most five. If there are more than that he will not meet you. Choose your most trustworthy members." Lelouch finished relaying the orders. Kallen absorbed the information, "Alright, but what about you? Won't you go?" She asked.

Lelouch smiled, "I'm more of a behind the scenes member, I provide him with anything he needs, but when it comes to the battlefield I am helpless."

Kallen could agree with that after all Lelouch completely lacks in the physical department. The two departed without another word.

* * *

Lelouch arrived at the club room, greeted by Sayako, "Welcome back Master Lelouch."

"Thank you Sayako. Where's Nunnally?" He asked.

"She's currently in the lounge with Lady C.C." The maid answered. Lelouch quickly made his way to the lounge, and upon entering saw his sister and contractor. They both continued to make origami, "Welcome home brother."

"You're early today, boy." C.C. added as she ate another slice of pizza. While living here, C.C. has found her new drug, Pizza Hut pizza which she seems to scarf down without hesitation. How she kept her perfect figure, Lelouch could only wonder.

"Classes were cancelled today." Lelouch walked over to his sister and kneeled down, "Nunnally, I'll be gone for a few hours. I've received a rematch request with a noble I played chess against. I'll try not to come home too late." Lelouch told her. He saw her face become disapproving, "You know it's dangerous to gamble brother." She condemned.

"I know, but I can't turn down this challenge, I'm too prideful." Lelouch justified. Nunnally continue to appear unsure before sighing, "I swear brother you have the oddest hobbies. Please be careful, and don't come home too late." She finally gave her approval albeit a bit hesitant. Lelouch stood and kissed her forehead, "I'll be careful, and don't worry I'll make it home earlier than usual." He then left the lounge and headed to his room. Once inside, he changed out of his uniform, replacing it with a tight turtle neck, and black slacks. From what he knew about his power, it covers any clothing he wears, but remains comfortable and flexible.

The door to his room opened, and C.C. walked in, "So you are finally revealing yourself to them." It was a statement rather than a question. C.C. leisurely made her way onto Lelouch's bed, "Yes, just being called a voice won't keep them loyal. I must give them a reason to trust me." Lelouch as he finished tying his shoelaces.

"Will you tell them of Geass?" C.C. sat up from the bed to stare at Lelouch who stared back, "Don't worry the truth about Geass will remain vague. All I will tell them is of my armor's capabilities." Lelouch walked to the door ready to make his way to Shinjuku.

"It's not like I could stop you if you chose to tell them the truth. As long as you grant my wish I don't care who you tell or what you do with it." C.C. clarified. Lelouch turned to the listless woman, "What exactly is your wish?" He asked.

She seemed to avoid her eyes at his question, "Only time will tell, boy."

* * *

Kallen walked up to the entrance of Shinjuku Station, the busy station was now nothing more than a decaying building, a ghost of its former self. Behind her stood four other people, Ohgi Kaname, Tamaki Shinichiro, Minami Yoshitaka, and Naomi Inoue, all eyeing the shell of Shinjuku Station.

"A damn shame, I remember when this station was the busiest station in the world." Ohgi said solemnly.

"I swear I don't like this, what if this is a trap?" Tamaki grumbled.

"We've already made it this far, so we might as well go through with it." Minami added. Tamaki simply huffed in annoyance before they continued walking. They stopped a about 50 feet from the entrance to the station looking around, "Its 1600 hours, so where is he?" Ohgi said.

"I knew it this is just a waste of time!" Tamaki yelled.

"Wait there is something up there." Naomi pointed out. Everyone turned to where she was pointing and froze when they saw a dark figure standing atop the building.

"What is that?" Minami said. Then the figure did the unexpected, it jumped off the building which was clearly a few dozen feet.

"Is it attacking?!" Ohgi asked in a panic, "I knew this was a trap!" Tamaki asked really regretting not listening to his intuition. The figure landed a few feet in front of them throwing a cloud of dust into the air. They covered their irritated eyes from the dust, and kept an eye on where the figure landed. As the dust blew away they halted when they saw what stood there.

Cloaked in black, staring at them through a purple visor which was attached to its spiked helmet, The haunting image made them all take a step back, "I thank you for coming." Its robotic voice echoed through the ghetto.

They all glanced at themselves unsure if they should engage before Ohgi gained the courage and took a step forward, "Are you the voice from Shinjuku?" He tried his best not to stutter.

"Yes, I am." Lelouch exclaimed loudly and confidently. He knew jumping off the building was a bit flashy, but he couldn't help but be a bit theatrical because he enjoyed putting on a show.

"Well you have our attention that's for sure, so why did you help us? Was it you who ordered the cease fire? Who exactly are you?" Ohgi cut to the chase, _"Not wasting any time."_

"I helped you because I saw your potential. I saw how you fought to protect the innocent here, and how you fought bravely against Britannia even when the odds were completely against you." Lelouch said causing pride to swell in Ohgi, "But that still doesn't explain how you managed to get all the Sutherlands or how you ordered the cease fire." Kallen added.

"The train of Sutherlands was simple knowledge of the train's schedule. We were fortunate that it was passing by when it did, and I used that knowledge to our advantage. The cease fire was said by Clovis himself as you heard; as to how I did it, I simply held him at gunpoint." Lelouch explained.

The five were skeptical, "How did you manage to get to him? He must have been surrounded." It was Naomi who spoke up this time.

"Before I answer your question, I must ask one of my own. You are their leader correct." Lelouch stared straight at Ohgi who froze at the helmet's cold stare, "Yes." He answered.

"I must know, P-1, do you trust those around you?" Lelouch asked. Ohgi was taken back by the question, "Yes… of course." He said.

"Do you trust them with your life? Do you trust them enough to lay down your own life for them?"

Again the former teacher was taken back, unsure what to say, "Y-yes of course!" He slightly stuttered.

"I must know for sure! Any form of hesitation and distrust no matter how small will result in death on the battlefield. So answer again with confidence, Do you trust the four who surround you!"

Ohgi was slightly intimidated by the figure's raised voice, and hesitated in answering. He glanced at his comrades, looking to them for some sort of help. He simply received smiles and kind eyes followed by nods. Ohgi smiled himself before staring straight into the helmet's visor, "Yes, I trust these four with my life, and would gladly die for them!"

Lelouch smiled underneath his helmet, _"This man has the makings of a great leader. He will be a valuable asset."_

"Very well then, now I must ask something of all of you." They all focused their attention on the cloaked figure.

"I must have your word that everything that I am about to tell be kept a secret. No one outside of us six must know of this information unless I say otherwise. Your families, friends even your fellow comrade in arms must not be told." Lelouch waited for their response.

"Hold up, why should we listen to you? You can trust us but we sure as hell don't trust you. Why don't you take off the mask, and show us your face?" Tamaki stepped up.

"I must have your word first. I must know that you agree to the terms before receiving this knowledge." Lelouch reminded. The five looked at him then themselves, "Ohgi we can't exactly trust this guy." Tamaki told his leader.

"That may be but he did lead us to victory back during the battle." Naomi added.

"You call that a victory?! We got our ass handed to us by a single unit!" Tamaki yelled at the woman.

"That's true, but before that unit appeared we actually pushed the Britannians back. That was the first time we had a chance of victory, the first time we actually fought on equal ground." Minami reminded Tamaki. Everything before that battle were small bombings, and guerrilla warfare.

"If you want to leave Tamaki, then go, no one is keeping here." Kallen stared at the older men. Tamaki looked at all of them before shouting, "Dammit, if this all falls apart don't come crying to me!" He angrily crossed his armed. The other smiled before facing Ohgi and nodding. Ohgi faced Lelouch once more, "We swear that what happens here will stay between us six."

"Very well, I will take your word. Now you asked who I am. You may address me as **Zero**!" He extended his hands causing his cape to reveal his armor, "As in nothing?" Ohgi asked.

"No, zero may represent nothing, but it can also represent everything. It is either all or nothing, and this time I am al!" Lelouch exclaimed. The five looked at each slightly confused by Zero's words.

"What I completed here was due not only to my intellect, but to my power as well! A power given to me by the devil himself! Power strong enough to take down an army of knightmares!" Zero closed his fist in front of him. Now he was at the point of losing the five Japanese in front of him.

"I knew this guy was crazy, this is a huge waste of time!" Tamaki screamed

His four companions looked at him then each other, wondering if Zero was really insane. Ohgi turned to face the cloaked figure, "Do you have proof of you 'powers'?" He asked skeptically.

"I know that what I say sounds farfetched. I myself wouldn't believe it. That is why I shall present my powers not only to you, but to the entire world. I will prove myself to you by rescuing Suzaku Kururugi singlehandedly. I will make them fear the name, Zero!"

 **Narita Mountains**

"Suzaku Kururugi should be hailed a hero! He managed to kill a prince!" Josui Kusakabe shouted at his commanding officer.

Another commander chimed in, "Even so, isn't he the son of the late Minister Kururugi? The man who gave up Japan!"

Ever since they announced Suzaku's 'crime', The Japanese Liberation Front have argued over what or what not to do.

"The Shinjuku battle was done by Kozuki's group, right?" The JLF leader Katase Tatewaki asked.

"Yes, it's a resistance cell being led by Ohgi Kaname." Kusakabe answered.

"Has Kururugi's family said anything?" The experienced general asked.

"No, they broke contact when he joined the military."

Tatewaki hummed in understanding before turning another man who sat to the side, "Your thoughts Tohdoh?" He asked.

Tohdoh faced them, "We have no right to join him in a public execution. He should face his death alone and with honor." Kyoshiro Tohdoh answered.

"What cowardice! Are you really Tohdoh the Miracle worker?" Kusakabe accused.

"You shouldn't allow miracles to blind you. We would only be walking into our own demise."

* * *

"Well looks like there is silver lining. The two you asked about weren't on the casualty list." Lloyd sat on a stool in front of Suzaku's cell. The boy looked up at him with a thankful smile, "Thank you sir."

"You are rather calm for someone who on death's row." Lloyd said.

"I still have a trial! The truth will come out there." Suzaku insisted.

"You truly are optimistic. You may have a trial, but everyone in it is against you. There is a severe lack of truth in your case." Lloyd told the kneeling boy. Suzaku face became determined, "If the world is truly so corrupted, then I don't regret leaving it."

* * *

"Any moment now, any moment." The announcer said to everyone watching. All over the world people watched from their living rooms, bars, club rooms, and central hubs.

"Thousands line the parade route, awaiting to catch a glimpse of Suzaku Kururugi, the man charged with the murder of Prince Clovis."

Kallen sat in her group's headquarters, watching the screen intently. Around her several members of the cell watched closely, _"Will he really be able to do it?"_ She thought about what Zero had told them. He stated that he would save Suzaku by himself, and come out unscathed.

"Camera 5's is slow switch to Camera 6. Charles do you have a clear view of the crowd." Deithard Ried, head producer at HI-TV commanded his team to record the parade. After a few minutes knightmares were seen in the distance, "Here they come. This sham, I'm as corrupt as the rest of them. Lining the streets with patriotic Britannians, so Suzaku is seen as an even bigger traitor. Those purebloods are truly something else."

Escorted by four knightmares, the armored vehicle with Suzaku tied to the top with the world to see made its way across the bridge.

"Damned Eleven!"

"You murderer scum! Rot in hell!"

"Give us our Prince back you disgraceful dog!"

The various curses erupted from the crowd as Suzaku passed leisurely by them. Jeremiah Gottwald smiled evilly as his Knightmare kept its pace with the transport. He stood on its opened cockpit basking in the limelight, his knightmare situated to the transport's right. Villetta Nu did the same closely following the transports on its left. Kewell Soresi was situated at the back of the transport and he too stood on the open cockpit.

" _With this we Britannians will become rulers of Area 11. No more dirty Elevens will be left."_ He thought sinisterly as they made their way.

General Bartley stood nervously at the head of the transport vehicle, "Is this really what you wanted, Prince Clovis?" He said to himself. After he was told of the pureblood's plans, he couldn't help but agree since they basically black mailed him. His secrecy involving Code-R ended up making him a puppet to the purebloods.

He looked over to Gottwald, _"That bastard is going to make himself Viceroy when this is over, and I doubt there is anything I can do to stop them, but then what happens to me? Will I be killed?"_ Bartley began sweating as he thought of what the pureblood would do with him.

"How can we just sit here when we know that Suzaku's innocent." Cecile stared at the video helplessly.

"The court deemed our testimony invalid, so it can't be helped. Besides what else can we do? It's already too late to save our patron, so we can only accept his fate."

The student council watched the screen intently watching as the camera zoomed in on Suzaku, "Is it really necessary to make such a show out of this?" Rivalz asked.

"Its clear Margrave Jeremiah want to sends a message. This parade will surely make the lives of the Elevens worse." Milly answered.

"Voices of resentment and anger growing louder! Righteous voices which judge the terrorist."

Nunnally held the radio, with tears in her eyes, "There is no way Suzaku could do such a thing."

Unknown to everyone on the bridge, a lone cloaked figure stood atop one of the bridge towers, awaiting for the convoy to line up. Within his mask, a drop of sweat fell from Lelouch's brow. His cape and collar fluttered in the wind.

"Ever since receiving this power, I've done nothing but put myself in harm's way." He said. The convoy was getting closer. He aimed one of his arms at the three knightmares which surround Suzaku's transport. The DOM symbol appeared at the end of his opened palm, but the knightmares continued moving, "So I am up too high for this to work. It only works at a certain distance then. That is good to know." The exiled prince smiled as the convoy lined up, _"Then I will just have to get closer!"_ He thought as he leaped off the tower. Half-way down he held out both arms, and opened his palms. In front of both a bigger DOM symbol appeared, _"So using both hands increases its range.",_ and his smile grew as he felt a click in the back of his mind, _"Your knightmares are mine!"_

Everything was going as planned, the Britannians which lines the streets shouted at Suzaku with great distain. Jeremiah simply smiled as the convoy continued.

Suzaku looked down, ignoring the various insults, _"So this is how I die…I'm sorry Lelouch, looks like I couldn't help make Nunnally's dream a reality."_ A small, sad smile graced his lips. He accepted his fate.

Jeremiah's inner gloating was halted when he jolted forward nearly slamming his head onto the top of the Sutherland. He looked down at his knightmare realizing it had stopped, "What the hell?" He asked. He turned toward Villetta, and saw here having the same problem. Then he turn back and again saw Kewell trying to get his knightmare to respond.

The transport stopped due to Bartley's orders. The general looked back at Jeremiah, "What's wrong! Why have you stopped!?" He shouted.

Suddenly a great force landed on the back of the transport, lifting the front slightly from sheer force. Everyone on the transport were sent off their feet, and slammed onto the metal roof of vehicle when it fell. Bartley groaned as he stood, assisted by one of the soldiers guarding the bounded Suzaku, "What the hell was that?!" He stood and saw a horrifying image. Standing on the rear of the now dented transport was a figure shrouded in a black cape which wrapped tightly around his body. The figured stared at them behind a spiked helmet with a purple visor, and his straightened collar giving off a sinister feel. The entire country froze, as the news cameras zoomed in on the interloper.

"Get a closer view! Do it now!" Deithard shouted at his men, "Sir, it's too dangerous!" They answered.

"You damned amateurs!" The man shouted before he grabbed his own camera and left the van.

No one present knew what to say, but any words they had died out when a deep, robotic voice rang over the bridge, "I am **Zero**!"

Villetta was the most shocked, "It's him, the one from Shinjuku." She whispered in disbelief.

"Who is this man? This man calling himself Zero who has attacked the convoy!" The announcer shouted

"What is that?" Rivalz said as he neared the television.

Nunnally listened to the radio, confused as to what the commotion was about, Sayako stood behind her, _"Is this your doing, Master Lelouch?"_

Kallen along with the rest of the cell stared amazed by the change of the events.

"Who the hell is that?" one of the members questioned.

Kallen looked over to Ohgi to see him staring at the screen, she glanced at the other three who meant her gaze. A simple nod was all she needed to know she was crazy. Refocusing on the screen she couldn't help but let hope creep up on her, _"He actually stopped the convoy. Was he telling the truth?"_

Suzaku tried his best to see the newcomer, but his restrains and the pole he was tied to kept him from fully viewing, but he managed to steal a glance and he could recognize that black form anywhere.

" _It's him!"_ He thought.

"Is this some sort of terrorist?! If he is what a foolish choice to attack the convoy head on!" The announcer yelled dramatically.

"I don't know who you are Zero, but this show is over. Men dispose of him!" Jeremiah shouted to the two soldiers who were on the transport. They turned to face Zero but were quickly disposed by his whips. Being thrown off the side of the transport with ease.

"Sir…" Villetta's voice cut into Jeremiah's headset.

"That's him…the one I fought in Shinjuku."

Jeremiah stayed serious, _"So this is the monster who took down a Sutherland."_

Zero walked passed Suzaku restrained form and grabbed Bartley from the neck, "Unhand me…you fiend!" Bartley tried to free himself but failed horribly.

"Wait do—" Suzaku plea stopped when his collar shocked him. Zero glanced at the Eleven, "I see they didn't even let you talk." He said before facing Jeremiah.

"Release Suzaku Kururugi or I will kill General Bartley!" Zero announced.

Jeremiah snarled, _"If we were anywhere else I wouldn't hesitate to shoot through Bartley, but if we do it here we'd seem like traitors."_

"You dare make demands! We would never release this dirty Eleven, for he took our Prince from us!" Jeremiah shouted at Zero. By now air transports dropped four more Sutherlands and each aimed their weapons on Zero.

"That is where you are wrong Margrave, the man who killed Clovis…" Pause and face the camera for dramatic effect, "Was myself!"

The voices of shock resonated among the ground. Deithard simply continued filming the masked Zero, "This is all a show for him."

"I can't believe it!" Cecile said, "Oh my, the real killer." Lloyd added as he watched over his assistant's shoulder.

"W-what can this mean?! This masked man called Zero, claims to be the real culprit, so what does this mean for the accused Private Kururugi!?" The announcer counted off the questions.

"You know it is true, Bartley." Zero whispered this only loud enough for Bartley and to some extent, Suzaku to hear. Bartley stared in the visor, "I was the man who blew up that deck. The one who killed your men. The murderer of Prince Clovis." Zero seemed to mock Bartley as he whispered these words. Bartley's eyes widened before he finally came to a conclusion.

"Men!" He shouted, "Open fire upon this man…no upon this demon. He is the true murderer! I don't care what happens to me! Avenge your Prince and open fire!" In a show of courage Bartley ordered the working Sutherlands to open fire. The reinforcements were hesitant, "You heard General Bartley, he's willing to sacrifice himself, so don't let this be in vain!" Jeremiah shouted, using this opportunity to finally get rid of the fat general.

"You are a fool Bartley." Zero quickly released the general and backed up and stood next to Suzaku. He threw his cape over the restrained Suzaku, the cloth extending to cover the boy's entire body. Then the four Sutherlands opened fire upon the transport.

Bartley felt no pain as he was shredded by the giant Sutherland bullets. Zero stood over Suzaku guarding the Japanese boy with his cape as the barrage of bullets decimated the transport, but simply bounced off him and his cape.

"Sir, I doubt this will do anything." Jeremiah heard Villetta's voice in his ear again. What she said was true, since he watched as Zero took the bullets without worry. The Sutherland pilots seemed to see this as well, and stopped firing. Zero stood straight after the firing stopped, "Now that you're childish attack is over, I think it is time for you to cut the act Jeremiah, and commence escape plan 'Orange'!" Lelouch smiled at the Margrave's confused face, and even more so when he lost his balance and was sealed within the knightmare after Lelouch decided to close its cockpit. He quickly turned off all the communication within the Sutherland.

"Lord Jeremiah! What's wrong?!" Villetta asked but received nothing.

Inside the Sutherland Jeremiah frantically tried to move it, "Why isn't this working?"

Villetta was stopped from attempting to communicate when Jeremiah's Sutherland rammed into her knocking her off her feet and onto the street below. She landed hard on her arm, and screamed in pain when she felt something snap.

Kewell stood watching the entire attack from his inactive Sutherland, "Lord Jeremiah, what are you doing!" He shouted but received no reply as his counterpart's Sutherland attacked the other knightmares. At this point the crowd started running, fear of being caught in the crossfire.

"It's time for us to leave." Zero told Suzaku before breaking the pole he was tied to and holding him under his right arm. _"Protect me."_ He thought causing Kewell's and Villetta's knightmares to spring into action, and join Jeremiah's Sutherland in attacking the uncontrolled knightmares. In one leap Zero barely landed on the tower from where originally came, managing to grab onto its ledge with his free hand. He pulled himself and Suzaku over the side, and quickly stood, readjusting his rescued friend under his arm.

" _Alright now to jump to the nearest building."_ He thought as he eyed any building. His eyes landed on a suitable building, but his plans were cut short by the sound of fluttering. He turned and saw an attack helicopter, but his thoughts were not on where it came from, but the rocket it shot which was only feet away from the tower he occupied. It made contact completely obliterating the tower's top.

Civilian's on the bridge fled from the falling debris, and among them was Deithard, who for the first time took his camera's view away from Zero. Running from the danger the camera's view faced his feet as he ran.

Everyone watching only grew frustrated since all other camera's had stopped streaming, leaving Deithard's as the only camera left.

"Come on! Show us what happened!" Rivalz said as if he was watching a movie.

"Was he hit?!" Kallen shouted at her screen, an action everyone behind her mimicked.

"Come on you fool! Stop being a coward and stand your ground!" Kusakabe shouted at his screen followed by agreeing yells from the men behind him. Tohdoh stood behind him, having paid attention to the passed few minutes.

Having travelled far enough from danger, Deithard quickly pointed the camera at the tower which was smoking from the attack, "Did Zero get hit?" He spoke aloud, asking the question which millions of viewers were thinking themselves.

As Lelouch fell off the tower, dust was blown away revealing he had lost his grip on Suzaku. Frantically searching he saw the Japanese teen a few feet away noticing how he was free falling unconscious.

" _SUZAKU!"_ He thought as he extended arm attempting to grab his best friend, but clearly failing. Time slowed down, as he fell alongside debris and his unresponsive friend, then as if an answer to his call, his view was flooded by feathers.

Deithard zoomed in on the tower, looking for any sign of Zero. Smoke continued to rise from the destroyed structure, blocking the camera's view, but then a black figure caught Deithard's eye. Turning the camera he managed to catch a black blur rise to the sky stopping above the bridge. He quickly zoomed in on the black figure and froze when he realized it was indeed Zero, who now had two angelic, wings on his back. The left an obsidian black, the complete opposite of the right which was a pure, almost metallic white. The wings flapped a few times keeping Zero hovering in the air.

Lelouch didn't know exactly what happened, and found himself shocked when he realized how high he was. He managed to grab Suzaku and now held him under his right arm again. He turned to see wings at his sides, apparently sprouting from his back. From a far they may seem like actual feathered wings, but up close, contradicting with their swift movements, Lelouch could see they were metallic. The left wing greatly resembled his armor albeit a bit darker while the right seemed like the purest of silver.

His amazement was short lived as it was replaced with the feeling of magnificence, _"I can fly! This power only keeps giving! Invulnerability, enhanced strength, knightmare control, and now flight!"_ His smile only grew, _"Have I finally made it to full power?"_ Something deep within his mind answered, _"No. I haven't even come close! I await to see what else this **Geass** has in store."_ Lelouch finished thinking and looked down at the bridge. Thousands of eyes were on him, so he decided he would put on a show.

"HEAR ME OPPRESSORS!" He began as he pointed his opened palm at the onlookers, "IF YOU VALUE YOUR PATHETIC HUMAN LIFE, THEN DO NOT FOLLOW ME, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO FIND ME. FOR I AM THE HARBINGER OF REPENTANCE," He angled his arm again, "I AM ZERO, THE DEMON KING!" With his final declaration he closed his fist, and flew into the night sky at incredible speeds leaving all those present and those watching bewildered.

C.C. whom ate pizza within Lelouch's room watched the entire encounter, "Well it seems you have truly become a demon, Lelouch. This contract is destined to be interesting, don't you agree Marianne?"

* * *

 **Thank you for reading all the way through. Honestly this was meant to end after Suzaku turns down Lelouch's offer, but I thought it was better to end with Lelouch's declaration. Now this is it, this is as far as I originally intended to type. I am not saying the story is over, but I am saying that I will take a break. I've spent the last four days typing both chapters so I will take a break in typing the next chapters. Thank you for understanding and reading. I bid thee a fair evening.**


	3. Those Who Follow

**Thank you for waiting, and I apologize if this chapter is too long. As you will notice once you begin reading, I have slightly skipped over a few things, deciding to summarize them to get to the actual action. There is also something in this chapter that some people might not like. I'll go into detail at the end.**

 **I have to thank MM Browsing for helping me with various ideas. I'll go into detail on what exactly they helped with at the end. They are a great help, so kudos to you MM Browsing.**

* * *

As historians look back on the day Zero, The Demon King, revealed himself, they would see the downfall of mankind started with the self-proclaimed ruler. They would find chaos in the year 2017 of the a.t.b calendar. They would see records of the most famed scientists of that time looking back at the footage recorded by the now famous Diethard Ried, attempting to find any form of altercation. Trying their best to find any form of hoax, but as records would tell these historians, the scientists in 2017 found none thus commencing the most controversial topic of the 21st century.

The Demon King, The Black Knight, Archdemon of Repentance, Archangel of Justice, God's Herald, Satan's Courier, Ally of Humanity, Enemy of Mankind.

These are the various names attributed to the masked figure for the extent of the 21st century and following centuries to come. The numerous religions gave their own view on this subject thus creating the endless names, and the endless meanings. They all tried to fathom what this figure represented, and what he would bring.

Salvation, Damnation, Everything, Nothing, Infinity, Zero.

Yet lost in the text was his true purpose. The true reason to him becoming The Demon King, the Angel of Death, The Ally yet Enemy of Humanity, and so on. It was the result of a simple wish from the one he held above all else.

* * *

It was nearly a month since Zero made his appearance, and within that month, Area 11 was thrown into chaos. Half of the civilians feared the demon, Zero, while the others rallied behind him. The video of the winged rescuer became viewed millions of times, most still disbelieving what had occurred on that bridge.

Within that month the Purebloods were reduced to nothing. Villetta Nu, Jeremiah Gottwald, and Kewell Sansei were arrested under suspicion of working with Zero, but were soon released as there was no evidence against them. That did not meant the distrust towards them faded. Among the Purebloods, Jeremiah was seen as the most suspicious since he was addressed by Zero directly. That and Zero's proclamation before Jeremiah entered his cockpit added to the suspicion. To put it simply, the Purebloods went from nearly ruling Area 11 to being the lowest ranks in the military.

As for the falsely accused, Suzaku Kururugi, he was saved by the Demon King, and awoke in a decaying building. There he was met by Zero himself, and after a brief conversation between the two idealists they parted ways, Suzaku claiming Britannia must be changed from inside, through peaceful means, rather than through terrorism. He parted with a solemn "thank you" and left to turn himself in, while Zero stared at his back. The masked Lelouch could only feel sad that he couldn't convince his friend, but knew that Suzaku was not the type of person to live as a terrorist.

Zero was confronted by five members of the resistance cell he met before, all questioning him on how he obtained such amazing power. Again he swore them to secrecy before giving them very vague answers.

"As I said before, I signed a contract with the devil."

Every time he would answer with that sentence, a certain pizza loving, green haired girl would find herself sneezing.

Seeing that he wouldn't answer them anymore the five agreed to keep the very little information they knew to themselves as a way to gain their new leader's trust.

Yet as soon as he appeared, Zero vanished, claiming they would make their first real move in the near future. Who are they to question a man who has done so much more in the last few days, than they did in years? That is another thing which came with his display of power. Fear and Respect were two sides of the same coin when it came to those who followed Zero.

After leaving and turning down Zero, Suzaku turned himself in and went through his trial. With the Purebloods out of commission, there was literally no evidence against him, leaving only two concrete testimonies which basically proved his innocence. He was released without another word. Literally an hour after Suzaku was released he met a beautiful pink-haired girl, and couldn't help but be taken by her. She introduced herself as Euphy, and seemed adamant of getting away from any government building. She asked if he would give her a tour of the Tokyo Settlement and he gladly agreed. As they explored the settlement, going to shops, parks and even the war torn city of Shinjuku, Suzaku found himself enjoying his time with the gentle girl. They even meet a cat, dubbed Arthur, along the way.

Then while they explored Shinjuku they managed to run into the Purebloods attempting to murder Jeremiah Gottwald. Suzaku attempted to stop the fight with the Lancelot, but it was Euphy who ended the foolish fight.

Suzaku was beyond flabbergasted when the gentle girl introduced herself as the third princess of The Holy Britannian Empire, Euphemia li Britannia. Euphy asked Suzaku to help her assure peace, and he quickly swore his loyalty to her. That very day, the Witch of Britannia, Cornelia li Britannia arrived in Area 11 to take her new position as viceroy. Her first order as viceroy was to find Zero at all costs. Then only a few days later, upon Princess Euphemia's recommendation, Suzaku Kururugi was enrolled in Ashford Academy.

His first day was treated with great racism due to his status as an Eleven, and some even feared him due to him being accused of Prince Clovis' murder. Even though it was publicly announced that he was cleared of all charges, many ignored it and were still fearful of the boy. In addition to the racism was something Suzaku was grateful for. He instantly recognized the raven haired boy sitting in his class. Through subtle means they met on the roof, and caught up on the passed few years. Due to Lelouch's urging and reassurance, the student council agreed to allow Suzaku to become a member. It wasn't like they were against it, but there was one specific member who couldn't help but be scared of the Eleven.

That night Lelouch gave a present to his dear sister in the form of Suzaku. The girl shed tears of happiness, relieved the Suzaku was safe and found not guilty. They conversed over dinner, mainly talking about Suzaku's role in the military. Overall it was a very pleasant night that both parties were in desperate need of. The next day Suzaku was met with more racism, this time in the form of racial slurs graffitied on his locker and gym clothes.

Lelouch only noticed because he was speaking with Ohgi, on the destruction of another rebel group, The Blood of the Samurai which was considered the biggest resistance force in central Japan. Ohgi was clearly fearful of Cornelia believing if she set her sights on them they would be wiped out. Lelouch reminded Ohgi that Zero was simply waiting for the right time to strike. That was another thing which changed, Kallen and the rest of the cell began trusting Lelouch as the go to guy. Rumors started spreading among the group that Lelouch was somehow related to Zero, or was an old friend. Lelouch was thankful of their ignorance, and actually found the rumors slightly humorous.

Since he was now being trusted more, Kallen seemed to speak to him more, trying her best to catch him when he's alone. Lelouch didn't mind the girl's company, in fact he actually welcomed it, and she did too since she could act like her real self around him.

Lelouch also tested his knightmare control after winning a knightmare through gambling. He determined the most effective range with one hand is around 220 to 230 meters, with the latter being the least effective. With both hands the control's range increased to around 270 meters at its greatest which is a great increase. He determined the Geass somehow managed to override Knightmare cores, how exactly, he simply wrote off as part of the supernatural aspect. The flaw of this power is the DOM symbol. Whenever he activates it, the light followed is a beam similar to a flashlight's. If anyone were to see him activate his DOM symbol they might figure out his ability which would give the enemy a great advantage.

He followed by testing his wings which were in a sense his cape mixing with his armor and somehow extending. The top speed he's reached so far was 200 mph, and that was simply because he was hesitant in going faster, unaware if it would be safe to do so. On foot he clocked in at 130 mph. The only thing he hasn't tested completely was the whips which appear from his cape. He knew he could cut to Sutherland armor with ease, and the new knightmare was tougher, but he managed to cut through it as well.

He tested his strength already knowing he couldn't lift the white knightmare. Thus setting the max weight at around 6.5 to 7.5 metric tons (since he didn't know the knightmare's specific specs, he made an estimate. Using a knightmare's average weight as his basis) which was roughly between 14,000 and 16,500 pounds. He began with one metric ton and worked his way up, finding himself struggling when he got to around 10,000 pounds which was 4.5 metric tons. Everything after that took various levels of effort to lift, and when he reached 6.8 metric tons he found himself unable to lift it more than a few inches off the ground.

Another development which wasn't so pleasant was C.C.'s obsession with Pizza Hut. Already he has made several gambling runs due to low funds. That girl was an endless pit, and he was paying for it…literally. She also got increasingly bored and began adventuring outside the council building. The first time she was nearly seen by Kallen, but Lelouch managed to intervene by abruptly grabbing the red head's face. To say it was awkward is an understatement.

Something else which was unpleasant was Nina Einstein, her xenophobia was making her more isolated and taking a heavy toll on her. Lelouch hoped being around Suzaku, a walking talking Eleven, and one of the nicest people alive would help alleviate her phobia, but it only worked against her.

Lelouch knew he had to at least talk to the shy girl when Nunnally came to him voicing her concern. So one day he snuck glances her way, watching her type away at her computer like she always did. Nina Einstein was probably one of the greatest minds of the decade, if not the century, so whenever he managed to glance at a screen, even he was left confused. Though he did catch mentions of Uranium and sakuradite within her work making him curious, but he otherwise ignored it.

One night he found that she still sat in the corner table of the club room, entranced in her work.

"Excuse me, Nina." Lelouch's voice made her jump in her seat, unaware of how much time has passed. She turned to face him relief taking over her features. Now that he actually looked at her, he could see the bags under her eyes, and how her hair stood up in several places. When was the last time she slept, he wondered.

"Oh…Lelouch, I'm sorry I didn't hear you come in." The girl excused before focusing on her screen again.

"Are you alright?" He asked. She looked at him confused then realized how there was not sunlight coming in. She turned toward the windows, realizing for the first time the sun had gone down.

"Oh…I guess I lost track of time. I'm sorry Lelouch, I'll leave." She quickly went to close her work.

"That wasn't what I was asking. For the passed few days you've been far more distant than usual, and you clearly haven't slept well. Nunnally asked me to talk to you because she was worried." He explained.

"Um…I'm sorry I didn't mean to worry her….I just…" Nina went silent not looking Lelouch's way.

"I can't say I understand your fear. Actually I don't think I will ever understand what you've gone through, but you can't let this fear completely consume you." Lelouch watched as the live haired girl's face contorted in fear.

"It's just…I can't help it." She whispered barely audible.

Lelouch sighed, "You are a very smart girl, Nina, and so you can't let something as stupid as fear take over you. I'm not saying to completely forget about your reason to fear the Elevens because I am sure it was truly a haunting experience to have such an effect on you. All I am asking is you give Suzaku a chance, a simple greeting if anything. I didn't tell this to the others, but I've known Suzaku far longer than I've let on." Nina finally looked at Lelouch wondering what he meant.  
"I met Suzaku around eight years ago when I first came to this country. He helped me care for Nunnally, and became one of my closest friends. If you only gave him a chance, I am sure you'll see how kind he truly is." Lelouch finished leaving the girl thinking over what he said, "Well it's gotten rather dark, I can have Sayoko escort you home if you'd like." He offered.

Nina lowered her head, "Yes…thank you."

Two days passed after he and Nina's confrontation, and the girl returned to classes and seemed to be sleeping better. Finally on the third day, as Suzaku and Lelouch talked idly between periods, the bespectacled girl walked up to them, Shirley off in the distance, silently encouraging her.

She avoided Suzaku's gaze, and was clearly uncomfortable, but she stood her ground.

"Um…may I help you, Miss." Suzaku asked.

Nina jumped at his voice, and grew more nervous. "U-um…I-I-I'm N-N-ina E-Einstein…n-n-ice to m-m-meet you." She struggled to get through the greeting. Suzaku turned to Lelouch before facing the frightened girl,

"Uh…it's nice to meet you too, Nina. I'm Suzaku." Suzaku put on a gentle smile as he held his hand out. Out of all the council members, Nina was the only one you had yet to greet Suzaku. Nina got eye of Suzaku's hand, and that seemed to be the breaking point as she quickly scurried away and around the corner. Suzaku stood confused, his hand still extended, and his mouth hung open, "Did I do something wrong?" He asked his friend.

Lelouch could only chuckle, "No Suzaku, it just seems a handshake was too much for Nina to handle. Still this is improvement."

Nothing else happened, and the day passed without worry. As the week ended, Lelouch sat in his home, looking over various reports on Cornelia on his laptop. Then from the window a cat entered, slightly startling Lelouch. The cat and he had a heated stare off before it turned at exited through the window. Lelouch didn't know why but he felt as though he should be chasing the cat. He quickly shook his head, excusing the strange sense of dread as tiredness. Soon enough Suzaku walked in with the cat clawing at his face. Seems like the new member of the student council has arrived.

The next day was Clovis' state funeral so the school was sent to the gym where they watched the live broadcast from Pendragon. Lelouch glared angrily as the Emperor stepped up to give a speech.

"All men…are NOT created equal!" The Emperor started, "Some are born swifter, some are born poorer, some are born more beautiful while others are born sick and feeble! In birth, in upbringing, in abilities all humans are different! That is why people discriminate against each other, and so people fight! They struggle, and in doing so they progress! Inequality is not wrong! Equality is what is wrong! What of the EU which made equality a right? Mob ruled by the most popular! What of the Chinese Federation which distributes its wealth? A nation of lazy dullards! But not our beloved Britannia! We fight, compete, and continue to constantly evolve! Britannia alone move forward, advancing into the future! That is why even with my son's death we shall continue to evolve! Compete! Steal! Acquire! Conquer! And in the end, the future shall be ours! ALL HAIL BRITANNIA!"

Lelouch only stared at the screen, _"Yes,_ _ **Father**_ _, the strong evolve. That is why Britannia will fall, for it has been outclassed…by me."_

And thus we are caught up, and have reached the present.

* * *

 **Britannia's Witch vs Shinjuku's Demon**

"It's a seventh-generation Knightmare Frame, the only one in the world thus making its abilities far greater than any other knightmare." Lloyd followed Princess Cornelia closely, bragging about his child.

"I've heard its pilot is an Eleven, and that he protected Euphemia from those idiotic Purebloods." Cornelia turned to face the scientist, "Ah yes, he is an honorary Britannian."

"I'll grant him a special promotion from private to warrant officer. That should be enough to satisfy him. So tell me Lord Asplund, how would your knightmare fare against Zero?" She asked.

Lloyd smile faded, turning oddly serious. He rubbed his head unsurely, "Honestly, Princess, I can't give you a proper answer. From what I've seen in the footage, Zero somehow acquired a new piece of technology that I've never seen. I can only theorize that it must be some sort of battle suit made with knightmare influenced designs."

"I wasn't asking what you thought of Zero's little display, I was asking if your Lancelot can go up against him. Specifically if it can pierce his armor." Cornelia asked again.

Lloyd only sighed, "We haven't gathered enough data, but if I took a guess, I would say we may be able to pierce Zero's suit with the Lancelot's MVS, but there is no way of truly knowing at the moment." Lloyd was being truthful in both aspects. Ever since he watched Zero's display, he couldn't help but squirm at the site of the enigma's armor. Whoever built it must clearly be a genius, and if they do manage to capture Zero, he would get on his knees if he had to and beg Cornelia to allow him access to the armor.

"Didn't reports say the Lancelot stopped working during the Shinjuku battle?"

Lloyd groaned, of all things she had to bring that up, "We've determined that Zero's armor seems to have a built in electromagnetic pulse which seems to cause the knightmare core to go haywire. The specifics we are still determining. Worry not, your highness, we have safe guarded the Lancelot's systems. We've tested the strongest EMPs and it stood active without any signs of stopping." Lloyd reassured her.

She glared at him, slightly unnerving him before turning, "Fine, that's all for now."

* * *

Sub-Viceroy Euphemia li Britannia couldn't help but be worried. The main cause of worry was her own sister, Cornelia. She understood her sister's view in life, _"Only those who fight are allowed to rule."_ It was something the elder 'li' sister lived by, but it couldn't be helped. They were raised to believe in survival of the fittest yet Euphemia couldn't help but hate that philosophy.

Why must they fight in order to live? If that was truly the way to rule then why don't the Elevens fighting against the Empire to regain their homeland get a chance to rule?

* * *

"I'm sorry you have to sit here and help me with my homework." Suzaku sat slightly embarrassed as Cecile helped him study.

"It isn't your fault, you never experienced normal school, so it can't be helped." Cecile gave the pilot a reassuring smile.

"Even with the student concil's help, I just can't wrap my mind around history."

"I'm glad you've actually made friends, I was afraid you wouldn't fit well due to your status as an Eleven." Cecile expressed.

Suzaku gave a kind smile, "Thank you for your concern. I expected there to be prejudice, so I prepared myself, luckily I ran into an old friend, and he smoothed things out for me."

"You should hold that friend close, it was no mere coincidence that you met again." Cecile reassured her younger coworker.

"Thank you Miss Cecile, I'll keep that in mind." Suzaku focused on his school work once more before Cecile seemed to pull a plate of onigiri out of nowhere.

"Would you like to try some? I've experimented with this cuisine before, but never actually had an Eleven try it."

Suzaku gladly took a rice ball, "Itadakimasu." He said before taking a bite. He recoiled due to the strange flavor, looking inside he was confused by the substance at the center, "Jam?" He asked the female.

"Yes, I managed to get my hands on some delicious strawberries." Cecile told him not seeing anything wrong with the jam.

"Alright everyone, pack it up! Enjoy a day off! Hip-hip-hooray! Thank you for your hard work." Lloyd loudly exclaimed.

Suzaku stared confused at his superior, turning to Cecile for confirmation, "I think that is your cue to get to school. Classes may be over, but bonding with friends is always valuable."

* * *

Meanwhile in the club room, Shirley and Kallen worked on building Arthur's cathouse. The two were alone in the meeting room. As Shirley continued building Arthur's new home, Kallen unboxed different toys for the feline.

"Kallen…can I ask you something important?" Shirley asked.

"Yeah, go ahead." Kallen thought nothing of it as she held Arthur in her hands, "Are you and Lelouch hiding something?" Shirley asked.

By now Kallen's attention was on the swimmer, and she silently grabbed her hidden knife, frightening the cat in her arms. "I don't know what you mean…"

"You don't have to hide it…I know you're dating Lulu!" Shirley turned making Kallen hurriedly hide her knife. She stared at the accusing stare Shirley gave her.

"Lulu? Wait….no—you've got it all wrong." Great now you have to think of an excuse Kallen, _"We aren't dating, it just we are in league with Zero, and are aiding him attack Britannia."_ If only it were that easy to say.

"But I've seen you…and him. You always try to get away from everyone…" Dammit Shirley was far more observant than Kallen thought. It was true she and Lelouch have spoken more frequently but that was only due to him being Zero's messenger and the only one who knows about her real persona. It not like it was anything romantic or anything…right?

"That's completely different…we aren't—we aren't like that." Kallen finally realized why Shirley was so angry. She couldn't believe she hadn't seen it before. Shirley was madly in love with Lelouch which made her realize how dense Lelouch really is.

"But…I saw you that one time…"

Kallen was confused by what she was taking about, before she remembered the strange thing Lelouch did a few days ago.

"No, that was nothing." She quickly said.

Shirley looked at her in disbelief her eyebrows slightly twitching, "So…a kiss was nothing…? Does that mean…you've done more than that?" Shirley feared the worst.

By now Kallen sported a blush, "No! You've got it all wrong!"

In the principal's office Milly was speaking with her mother via a phone call, "I understand that you want to reestablish the family name, but is an arranged marriage really the way?" A muffled voice on the end answered her, "But I've never even seen Lord Asplund."

* * *

C.C. giggled happily as she placed the eight sticker on her "Cheese-kun" application. Four more to go and the plushy would be hers. She heard the room's door slide open, and lazily glanced back. Lelouch stood at its entrance a frown adorning his features, "What has you so upset?" The immortal asked. Lelouch didn't answer as he went to turn on the television.

"Military authorities report that they are surrounding the Saitama ghetto which is hiding terrorists. Viceroy Cornelia is on the scene and has restricted all entrance to the area. IT is said that a full-scale assault will be launched in two hours. Consequently, the following areas will have their power cut for the time being—"

Diethard watched the news anchor from behind the camera, "Is it smart to announce the time it will start?"

Diethard scoffed at the ignorant marrons, "Idiots, don't you realize Viceroy Cornelia is tempting Zero."

Lelouch turned off the TV, an angry scowl on his face, "Cornelia is clearly provoking you." C.C. spoke.

Lelouch removed his stolen soldier uniform from within a secret trunk, "I wouldn't be a proper gentleman if I didn't give a lady a chance." He stated slightly smugly. "Besides this may be my chance to interrogate Cornelia." He added.

"Will you kill her as well? Maybe you can use her as a bargaining chip. Destroying Britannia or discovering your mother's murderer, which motivates you?" C.C. asked as he lay on his bed.

"Both are equal in my eyes, besides it isn't Cornelia's fault she is doing this. Since the moment she was born, she was thrown into a pit by our father. A pit which tests whether or not she has the right to rule. That is the type of place Britannia is. They step over the weak to reach the top even willing to condemn their own family." Lelouch's disdain only grew.

"Yet since the dawn of time only the strong truly evolved. It is the basis of today's society." C.C. said.

"Then what of Nunnally?! Must she give up because she is weak! If society is built on survival of the fittest then I will go against society. I will destroy this tainted world!" He stood, ready to leave and head to Saitama, but C.C. guarded the door with her body, "I won't let you go."

Lelouch narrowed his eyes, "Why?" He asked calmly.

"Now that you have become a demon, and showed the world what you can do, you've grown too confident. Has it ever crossed your mind that you may be too confident to the point of arrogance? You have said yourself, you are invulnerable not unstoppable." C.C. stared into Lelouch's eyes.

"C.C. are you concerned for my well-being?" He asked.

That immortal woman raised an eyebrow, "You misunderstand, boy, my concerns are for our contract. I can't have you dying before granting my wish."

Lelouch grew frustrated, "Then tell me, what your wish is! You have yet to even mention anything!" He shouted.

They stared at each other for a few minutes before moved out of the way, "You sure are a tenacious boy." She said as she slipped into his bed again.

Lelouch walked up to the door having it open, "You needn't worry about our contract, C.C., I am not someone who breaks his promises, especially when it comes to our situation. Without the power you gave me, I would still be living a life of lies, believing one day I will destroy Britannia, but now you have allowed me to take a step towards Nunnally's wish, for that I thank you. Whenever you reveal your closely guarded wish, I will try to fulfil it to the best of my ability." Lelouch walked out of the room without another word.

C.C. stared at the ceiling, but Lelouch reentering caught her attention, "And another thing…please try to restrain yourself in your gluttonous endeavors. I don't wish to go bankrupt due to Pizza Hut." He stated as he deadpanned.

C.C. gave him a silent stare before focusing her gaze back on the ceiling, ignoring his request. Lelouch could only sigh, "And you say I'm tenacious."

* * *

"The Saitama ghetto is now fully surrounded, your majesty. We've determined that half the people living here are in league with the Yamato Alliance." General Andreas Darlton told Princess Cornelia.

"In this situation…there is no doubt Zero will appear." He added.

Cornelia sat in her throne, with her loyal knight Gilbert G.P. Guilford at her side, "What will be the overall production effect?" She asked.

"Primary sector output should decrease by 0.2%." He informed her.

"So within expectations, Very well…what do you think Darlton, is this similar to the condition in Shinjuku?" She asked.

"From what we saw in the reports, we've recreated the condition faithfully." Darlton answered.

Cornelia gained a smile, "Well then, commence the eradication of the Saitama ghetto."

"All forces, assume level one combat stations! Commence the destruction of the Saitama ghetto!" The speaker voiced throughout speakers. All forces entered the ghetto aiming to kill everyone in it.

As all forces commenced, the Purebloods stood angrily in the very back on standby, "Why doesn't Princess Cornelia order us to attack as well?!" Jeremiah shouted angrily.

"It's because you are here, orange! Just be glad you weren't court martialed! It's because of you that our careers are over!" Kewell shouted back.

Jeremiah scowled at him, "I told you, I was not in leagued with Zero! I had never met him until that day!" He defended.

Kewell scoffed, "Again with that!"

* * *

"Mayor!"

A bespectacled man shouted at the ghetto's mayor who was just gunned down, he turned and faced the men angrily, "Why are you doing this? We've done nothing wrong, there are even woman and children here!"

"Exactly why! You choose to hide the terrorist, and not report them! It is because of this that we must eradicate all you traitors!" They all aimed their guns ready to kill the group of Elevens. They were stopped by a figure falling in between them. The soldier froze, "It's Zero! All men fire!" They didn't even press the triggers since Zero's whip slice horizontally across all their wastes. Blood and guts spilled across the floor. The people behind him avoided their eyes from the massacre.

"You," Zero voiced. The bespectacled man faced the Demon King, frightened, "Is there any way for you to evacuate without the military's notice?" He asked. The bespectacled man swallowed before answering, "Y-yes! The sewers under the city."

"Very well, evacuate all civilians, and if you can communicate with any others scattered throughout the ghetto to evacuate!" Zero ordered. The people stared at him before quickly leaving.

Zero watched leave before bursting into a sprint, as he ran he took out a radio, "If you wish to reenact Shinjuku then I will beat you with the Yamato Alliance's assistance. Maybe they'll join me if I lead them to victory, thus increasing my numbers."

He leaped onto a fallen skyscraper, surveying the battle, "Now to steal a knightmare." He watched a single Sutherland depart from his group, and smiled. He quickly sprouted his wings and flew straight at the retreating frame. When he neared he activated his DOM power having the knightmare stop and open its cockpit. The pilot was completely confused, but his confusing didn't last long when his life was ended. Zero removed the body, and made his way inside the knightmare.

"Dario Torres, from the third mechanized infantry company." Zero read the soldiers ID as the cockpit closed and he deactivated his Geass, "It just wasn't your day Dario."

* * *

"The loop line is lost."

"Can't we break through along the Sai-kyo line?"

"They got armored trains blocking it!"

"We can't use the farm roads, either."

"Any reinforcement from Akabane or Jujoh?"

"Maybe a single man could break through, but not a whole group!"

"Izumi!" The leader of the Yamato Alliance looked up from his map of Saitama. The man who ran up handled his leader a radio, "Well, any word from the Toda or Kawaguchi districts?" Izumi asked.

"Never mind that! Listen to this!" The man shouted. They all eyed the radio waiting for whatever was worth stopping for, "This is Zero."

They all froze when they heard the voice, "Zero?" Izumi, "You mean the Zero." He asked for clarification.

"I must apologize for this sudden attack. It is clear that Cornelia simply wants to provoke me, but I will answer to her call. If you follow my instructions to the letter, then you will be victorious." Zero finished. Everyone listened to the next instructed, hoping Zero's aide will help them in beating Cornelia.

* * *

"B-12 submission complete."

"F-7, no sign of the enemy"

"Powadon team, change course to 5-1-6."

"Yes, my lord. Moving to 5-1-6!"

The Britannians were destroying the ghetto, dominating the Yamato Alliance. Though the civilians managed to escape through unknown means.

As the Powadon team changed course, gloating due to the winning battle. Though their pride only lasted so long because their knightmares were blown up by rocket fire.

Rebels from the Yamato Alliance, stared in shock as they actually landed a hit. "They came! Just like Zero said!" They exclaimed.

Lelouch watched from his Sutherland atop a building, eyeing the attack with his factsphere.

"Now then…should I go to Cornelia or have her come to me?" He said as he eyed the map. The Yamato Alliance listened to his instructions, and from what he saw they seemed to listen well enough. If this goes well, he might even ask them to join him.

"R-1, R-2 will continue to fall back, draw them back to the area where N-2 is. B-7, open fire towards 2 o'clock." The rebel fighters followed his orders, and began destroying the Britannians.

"P-5's team will commence in barrage." He ordered.

Again the rebels followed his instructions, and with the Sutherlands they managed to capture, they were really gaining the the upper hand.

* * *

"Gester team, contact lost!"

"Enemy spotted in district G47!"

"Kaczinski team engaging! They were ambushed!"

The control room of Cornelia's transport was in panic as the Yamato Alliance began attacking. The enemy managed to get their hands on Sutherlands from their own forces. Cornelia was impassive, while her men worked endlessly to gain the upper hand.

"Princess Cornelia! This is resembling the Shinjuku battle more and more! Do you think it is Zero?" Darlton turned to his princess. Cornelia sat in her seat seriously, remaining silent as the battle unfolded.

"Right…P-3, take down the bridge and close the route!" Lelouch ordered. The rebels did as he said and quickly destroyed the bridge.

"Point 1-7 has fallen! Halley team, contact lost!"

Cornelia heard the news and finally made her decision, "That's enough. Order all troops to fall back, any further damage will be meaningless."

"Fall back? With all due respect, we can still continue fighting them!"

"We can't fight them like this, so order a retreat." Cornelia commanded calmly.

Over the speaker all forces were ordered back to the ghetto perimeter.

Lelouch simply smiled as he heard the order, "Already retreating, Cornelia? Here I thought you would last longer than Clovis." He made his way towards the center, "You've made this too easy, I'll simply blend in with the retreating units, and I will be right next to Cornelia." He smiled victoriously.

Joining the various Sutherland he followed them, completely blending in with the swarm of troops, "It seems you will lose my dear sister."

"Now it seems that I've won." Cornelia smiled as she could practically taste victory, "Guilford ready to deploy?" She turned to her most trusted subordinate.

"Of course my lady." Guilford bowed before heading out.

Lelouch sat within his Sutherland, silently angry, " _Damn, if only I was quicker I could have gotten closer to Cornelia. I can probably exit and use DOM to take control of the knightmares around me, but that leaves my power out for everyone to view. I'll just have to wait until there is another opening_." He watched as three of Cornelia's royal guard were deployed, their modified Gloucesters passing him, _"Cornelia has grown desperate, deploying her royal guard."_

He put the radio to his ear, "This is Zero, N-1 only will reengage their I.F.F signal." The rebels accepted their orders.

The command center saw the I.F.F signal appear again, "One knightmare unit is still within the city." They informed Cornelia. "Was he captured? Quickly send the rescue team!" Someone shouted.

"No, destroy it."

Everyone turned to the princess shocked, "But, Princess, what if it's a hostage?"

"I ordered all men to return, so I have no need for men who don't follow orders." She justified.

"Do it." Darlton added, his men were hesitate but did as ordered.

"Do your duty, even if it costs you your life. That is the philosophy my men live by." Cornelia commented.

At the signal Guilford lead two other guards straight to the Sutherland. All three raised their lances aiming them at the lone Sutherland. The rebel within realized they weren't going to stop, and attempted to destroy them missing every shot. Guilford stabbed right through the cockpit ending the pilot's life. The other two followed causing the Sutherland to explode.

"They didn't fall for it…N-2, transmit your signal, and fall back to the hospital ruins! R-1, R-2, hold positions and fire on ay pursuing enemies!" Lelouch ordered.

Cornelia watched as more signals appeared, "A trap, send in more Gloucesters and surround them!"

Lelouch eyed the map, "They aren't following…R-1, R-2 cancel the ambush and fall back!"

"Princess the Gloucesters arrived at the designated area, but there is no sign of the enemy!"

Cornelia gained a smile, "I see so he predicted my move, this may be the real Zero." She said

"P-2! N-3! Circle behind the enemy!" No response, "P-2, N-3! Dammit! B-1! B-5! You go!" Why weren't they answering?

"Like hell," He heard, "Like we can go up against Cornelia's royal guard!" He heard. Izumi answered as he ejected from the knightmare. All across the ghetto the members of the Yamato alliance laid down their weapons, and surrendered. They weren't even heard as bullets filled their bodies.

"Dammit! You cowards! B-7! Come around and cover N-4!" Lelouch yelled angrily.

"This is B-7, I've got a target here! I'll get him first!"

Lelouch looked at his map, "No you fool that a decoy!" Then connection with B-7 was lost and his I.F.F signal stopped transmitting. "That idiot! B-8, status report!" He asked.

"Screw you—AAAHHH!" Was all he heard. He gripped the radio madly.

"You idiots! Anyone left give me a report! Now!" Nothing but silence. He slammed back his chair fuming, "You stupid cowards! We had them and you decided to run!" He shouted. Then as he sat cursing the Yamato Alliance, Cornelia's voice came over the speaker.

"Mission Complete! All forces, take formation number 4!" She ordered.

"Beaten this easily? Those damned cowards caused their own demise!" He couldn't believe how quickly the men gave up.

"Looks like this wasn't exactly similar to Shinjuku, Zero. Your forces are wiped out, and I am still standing, now let us see if you truly are a demon." Cornelia turned on the loud speaker, "All men open your hatches and reveal your faces! I repeat, all pilots, open your hatches and show your faces!"

Lelouch stared at his screen, "So you anticipated my disguise. It seems it is time for me to make an appearance."

* * *

Guilford went knightmare to knightmare, within his Gloucester he watched as pilots exited and stood on their cockpits. So far all pilots had valid ID's and fit their picture. He stopped his Gloucester in front of the next Sutherland to be inspected, waiting for its pilot to show themselves. When the cockpit didn't open, Guilford turned on his speaker, "What's wrong? Why haven't you opened you hatch?" The knight asked.

"My cockpit's opening mechanism was damaged during the battle."

Guilford nodded in understanding, "Very well, turn around so we can open it for you." He ordered. The Sutherland turned as was told, and now its back faced him. He had no time to react as the second the Sutherland stopped turning, something went through his cockpit. He froze and turned to look at whatever it was, confused when he saw what appeared to be a flat, sharp piece of metal puncturing completely through his cockpit, narrowly missing his head. Unknown to him five other whips managed to stab through his knightmare's armor. He only realized something was wrong when a red light flashed signaling the knightmare's failing stability.

Outside everyone froze when they saw six tendrils erupt from inside the Sutherland's cockpits, stabbing through the Gloucester in front of it.

Cornelia froze when she saw the sudden attack before regaining her senses, "It's him! That's Zero!" Her heart sank when she saw one of the black whips stab clean through Guilford's cockpit, _"Gilbert…"_ She sighed in relief when her most loyal knight ejected his cockpit and flew into the distance. Guilford managed to escape his unstable Gloucester only seconds before it blew. The explosion's smoke cloaked Zero as he took off into the sky, stopping about sixty feet in the air. His wings flapped a few times to keep him leveled.

"Princess, it's him!" Darlton shouted he shouted as the giant screen's view focused on the wings assailant. Zero hovered sixty feet above them eyeing the army below him.

Cornelia stood from her seat, "All men fire upon Zero! Show him the power of Britannia!" She shouted passionately. All pilots who exited their cockpits during the inspection quickly reentered, and took aim at the flying enemy.

Zero watched as everyone aimed at him, _"Fools, their bullets won't even hold me back!"_ His celebration was cut short when he was forcefully pushed back a few feet by something. He looked down and saw an incredibly large bullet crushed against his shoulder, _"What?!"_ The bullet then slip off him and plummeted to the ground below. Zero focused his view on where the bullet came from and his eyes widened when he saw its shooter.

Cornelia's command center was situated at the end of the Saitama Ghetto, near a bridge which stood above a river. On that river was a small carrier boat which held various anti-air guns, all aimed at him.

 _"Damn you Cornelia! You've actually put all of my abilities into mind! But I won't fall back!"_ Zero attempted to fly forward but an anti-air bullet crashed into helmet sending him spinning backwards, _"Damn that witch!"_ He thought as he stopped himself from spinning.

"Tell the anti-air weapons to fire until they run dry!" Cornelia declared. Zero flew forward a few feet before the anti-air guns sent a bombardment bullets. Zero struggled to move forward at the intense force. Any bullets which didn't make contact exploded in a cloud of smoke near him. As smoke began blocking his vision, he quickly sent four whips deep into the earth bellow, having them act as tethers.

"Zero's pride won't let him flee! As long as he is tethered he is a sitting duck! All forces fire upon him! Shoot him out the sky!" Cornelia instructed. Soon all Sutherlands who retreated opened fire at the tethered Zero, a mix of bullets and rockets making contact. All knightmares present fired non stop, even the Purebloods joined in the attack.

Zero ignored the knightmare bullets, his focus on the anti-aircraft guns. He was kept in place by the tethers but the force of the anti-air bullets was pounding on him without mercy. The more and more they hit, Zero's visibility lessened due to the smoke.

"I'll give you credit, Cornelia, you've managed to catch me off guard. You are far different from Clovis," Lelouch praised, "But unfortunately for you, I still have something up my sleeve." Lelouch aimed his opened palm down, "Your own attack is aiding me. With all this smoke no one will see DOM's light!" He activated his knightmare control and grinned menacingly when he felt something click within his mind.

"Attack!" He shouted.

* * *

The command center was in chaos, "Princess Cornelia! Half our men have stopped attacking Zero and are now attacking other Sutherlands!" Darlton shouted.

"Could they be terrorists?!" Another commanded exclaimed.

"Impossible, we had them reveal their faces. They were all our own." Darlton answered.

"Then they're traitors," Everyone turned to Cornelia who sat emotionless, "Somehow they allowed themselves to be bribed by Zero. I have no need of such treacherous men, have those still loyal dispose of them."

"What of Zero?"

"The knightmares were nothing more than flies to him. As long as the anti-air guns continue firing he won't be able to get any closer. He is a terrorist with a flair for theatrics. If he truly thinks himself a demon then he won't run." Cornelia explained her strategy, _"That and Zero seems to prideful to run."_ She added mentally.

She turned to Darlton, "Are the Glaston Knights ready?" She asked the scarred man.

"Yes Princess." He confirmed.

"Then quickly deploy all five, they are to fight Zero head on." Cornelia ordered. Darlton narrowed his eyes before nodding, he quickly contacted the five knights.

* * *

Zero cleared the smoke with a flap of his angelic wings, but another bullet exploded on him.

"Those damn guns! Destroy them!" Zero quickly sent two Sutherlands toward the carrier boat. They reached the end of land and jumped, while in the air they were fired at by the men manning the guns. Even though they managed to destroy the two Sutherlands, they were left helpless as the debris rained down on them.

"Princess, the anti-air guns were wiped out!"

Cornelia showed no reaction, "Order the Glaston Knights to attack Zero at full force. Tell them to push him as far back into ghetto as they can."

Having mastered the art of "poker face" Cornelia's calm orders gave her men some sense of reassurance. Maybe they could best Zero yet.

Contradicting her outward appearance, Cornelia was furious, _"You take everything we through at you, and still you stand. You managed to somehow sway my men to your side. Just who exactly are you Zero?"_

Said figure hovered in the air, and observed the battle below him.

"I only managed to control some of them...does that mean my power can only work on a limited amount?" He floated as the knightmares under his control fought the others.

The five members of the Glaston Knights were unique in two ways, they were all adoptive brothers and their father was General Darlton himself. The five were trained by the skilled General, and were known as some of the most capable pilots in Britannia. The eldest of the five brothers Alfred G. Darlton was the first on the field and the first to act. He snuck around the perimeter quickly as his brothers distracted Zero.

When he was out of Zero's view, he piloted his Gloucester into the air aiming to attack the flying assailant.

Zero dodged bullets and rockets, fired by four Gloucesters. One of them actually attempted to jump into the air and impale him but he quickly disabled it with his whips. _"Something isn't right…they are Cornelia's knights yet they attack with such sloppy movements."_ Zero's intuition was correct as he felt something ram into him from his side. He turned and saw another Gloucester with its lance against him. Then without another warning he was sent flying diagonally back into the ghetto. He crashed into the ground skipping slightly across the surface, causing him to leave a trail of uplifted ground.

"Batter up!" Alfred shouted from within his knightmare, "Alright, quickly! Don't let him regain his footing!" He ordered his fellow knights. They quickly went on the offensive.

Zero slightly struggled to get up since he had dug into the street. After a few seconds he finally freed himself and stood, only to jump right avoiding a lance. The Gloucester's lance punctured the street causing Lelouch to notice how it cracked the ground. He wasn't the only one to realize the instability of the old streets, his attacker Edgar N. Darlton, the youngest of the Darlton siblings, freed his lance from the ground, _"Looks like this street is on its last legs. We should be careful."_ He thought. His plan crumbled as he saw one of his siblings come from above, aiming to pierce through Zero.

"David! Stop!" He shouted, but was too late.

Zero put up his arms in defense from the airborne lance. David T. Darlton drove his lance into Zero, having the enemy stop it with his arms. They were at a standstill, each of them trying to overcome the other in a show of strength. Their battle was cut short when the street finally gave out, sending both of them into the sewers underneath.

Zero bushed a piece of cement off himself, he cleared the smoke with a swish of his cape, _"The sewers…"_ He heard movement behind him and quickly aimined to disable the Gloucesters. He stopped when he saw who stood there. Instead of the Glaston Knights, there were Elevens, around thirty or so, a mix of woman, children and men, all looking at him in shock and fright.

"What are you doing here?! I ordered all civilians to evacuate!" He asked them. They all flinched in fear before a man stepped up, Zero recognized him as the bespectacled man from before.

"We got a call on the radio from a group stuck near Cornelia's transport. We were meant to escape via the east bridge's maintenance tunnel, but when we got there it was flooded." The man told him.

" _The east bridge…the one I had destroyed!"_ Zero finally realized that he should have planned out his strategy to include this outcome. More movement caught his and the civilians attention. From a pile of cement a Gloucester emerged, focusing its sights on Zero and the civilians.

In the command center, Cornelia watched the live feed.

"All of you go back that way! Quickly!" Zero commanded loudly startling the crowd. They look at him before seemingly realizing their situation, and quickly turned to escape.

Cornelia saw this and smiled, "Do not allow those people to escape! Anyone who dare ally with Zero is to be considered a terrorist! Fire a Chaos Mine!" She ordered.

A second Gloucester jumped down from the gaping hole and landed behind the first. The next minute slowed down as Zero watched in horror. The Gloucester unclipped the Chaos Mine from its hip, and effortlessly threw it into the air.

" _A Chaos Mine!"_ Zero positioned himself in between the mine and civilians, _"Even if I extend my cape, it won't be nearly enough to block the shrapnel from everyone. Should I give up and let them meet their fate? I can use this attack as a way to escape myself, but the people will be shredded."_ So many thoughts went through Lelouch's mind in such a short amount of time, _"No! If I let them be killed I will be no better than Britannia. Simply because they're chances of survival are low, doesn't mean I should do nothing. Those who live with power, must aide those whom live without it. But what's the point to so much power if I can only stand here helplessly. No matter what I do most of them will be hit."_

Zero stood frozen as the mine opened up, _"Dammit! I can't let this happen! I cannot let myself be so helpless! Even if I won't save them all, I won't give up!"_ With one final resolve he spread his arms wide and began extending his cape. Time sped up again, _"I won't make it in time!"_

The shrapnel fired at speeds greater than sound, and Lelouch managed to close his eyes, fear overcoming him. Yet he heard no shouts of horror, pain, and death. Opening his eyes he wondered if he someone managed to extend his cape enough to cover the group of civilians behind him. He fully opened his eyes, and what his saw confused him. As if an invisible wall was directly in front of him, the small, sharp pieces of metal shrapnel floated unmoving. Zero's arms fell from their extended position and limply hung at his sides.

"What the hell?!" David shouted from within his cockpit, behind him his brother, Edgar watched in fascination and bafflement.

Zero quickly shook off his shock, "All of you get out of here now!" He shouted to the people behind him. This time there was no hesitation, and the people quickly hurried down the sewers, away from the power struggle.

 _"Let's see if this truly is what I think it is!"_ Zero pulled his arms back before forcing them forward in a pushing gesture, "Have it back!" He outwardly shouted. Without stalling the shrapnel did as commanded and flew at full speed toward their senders.

Edgar's view was blocked by David's knightmare as his older sibling pushed his Gloucester back. Realization dawned on Edgar, "David don't!" He shouted but his wails were silenced by the sound of mach speed shrapnel shredding through his brother's knightmare and making their way into his.

Zero watched as all the shrapnel seem to faze through the first knightmare causing it to erupt in a ball of fire. The explosion's shockwave flailed his cape wildly.

Andreas Darlton's eyes widened, his emotions taking control, "David! Edgar! Report!" David's feed from the sewers was cut, and they were left staring at static.

The three other knights attempted to see through the smoke, and down into the sewers, "Dave! Eddy answer!" Alfred attempted to communicate with them but only received silence.

Then Zero flew out of the smoke catching all their attention, Bart L. Darlton, the second oldest Darlton sibling snarled at the fiend, "Zero you bastard!" He shouted angrily.

"Do not engage."

Cornelia's voice stopped Bart from attacking, "Princess, what do you mean?" Claudio S. Darlton asked calmly.

Cornelia's screen was focused on the flying Zero who simply faced their way, "Zero's done."

As she said that Zero turned and sped off into the distance, _"Damn you Cornelia! I'll let you have this one, but next time we face each other, I will not underestimate you. Next time, I will capture you!"_ Lelouch thought furiously as he flew away from the Saitama ghetto, leaving the decimated Britannian forces behind.

As Zero flew away, Cornelia let out a breath he held, _"Even with Zero retreating, this doesn't feel like a victory. Somehow a single man managed to take on all of my forces, and still walk away from it. Whatever that armor is made of, we must obtain it."_

* * *

Flying toward Ashford had taken longer than he anticipated, and by the time he arrived at the Council building, it was passed midnight. He walked up to the front door, and was about to knock but restrained himself, "I'm sure even Sayoko is asleep by now." He mumbled.

He walked around the building, and made it to his destination. Quickly activating his Geass he flew up to his bedroom's window, hovering directly in front of window. He gently knocked on the glass hoping C.C. was sleeping in his room (which was very likely).

After a minute of no response the lights inside flicker on, and C.C. appeared at the window, her sleep wear consisting of one of Lelouch's white shirts. Lelouch, now dressed as Zero, motioned for her to open the window. He saw her sigh before she did as he asked.

"Trying to enter from a maiden's window? Isn't that a bit cliché?" She told him as he landed inside the room and deactivated his Geass. He quickly removed his stolen soldier uniform, and changed into his sleep wear.

"First of all this is my room, and it isn't like this is some sort romantic meeting." Lelouch answered before he slipped into his own bed. C.C. stood gawking at him, and he noticed her staring, "Is something the matter?"

C.C.'s glare faded, "It's unusual for you to sleep here, if you think I'm willingly going to give up the bed, then you are sorely mistaken.

Lelouch shifted, and turned away from here, "You seem to have forgotten whose bed this actually is, besides I wasn't kicking you out." He said as he faced the wall. He forgot how sleeping in his own bed felt like, having slept in the guest rooms ever since C.C. moved in, and had taken over his bed.

C.C. raised an eyebrow before a teasing smile made a way onto her face, "Oh, have you finally gained the confidence to try something? I'll commend your restrain up until now, most teenage boys would kill to sleep with a beautiful woman."

She heard Lelouch sigh, "You misunderstand, woman, I am not like the usual hormonal teenage boy, and haven't seen you in such a light before," That was lie, Lelouch could control his hormonal body, but even he has taken a glance at C.C. It was her own fault, she constantly teased him by being so underdressed, "As to why I have decided to sleep here tonight is simple, I wish to enjoy my own bed for once in the passed month. Now if you don't mind I am rather tired, so you can either go or stay here. Either way I don't care." He finished still not facing her.

C.C. could only stare at the back of her contractee's head, "What happened to you? Your fight with Cornelia not go as you wanted? Did she not give you any information on your mother?"

Lelouch said nothing for a few seconds before turning to face her. She was slightly taken back by how tired he actually looked, "C.C., please."

He turned back to face the wall leaving C.C. looking at him incredulously. She simply stood there before sighing and walking to the light switch, "Just be warned, boy, my teasing isn't me giving you permission to try anything, so be warned if you do anything I won't hesitate to kick you off the bed." She warned before she turned off the light. The room was nearly completely dark, the only light was coming from the window. It was a full moon tonight, so the satellite's light shined brightly.

C.C. climbed onto the bed taking her position closest to the wall, Lelouch grumbled as he made space for her. She finally reached the back of the bed, and placed herself under the covers. Lelouch was clearly trying not to touch her form as he moved closer to the edge of the bed, but otherwise they stayed in silence. A few minutes of an agonizing, awkward silence, and C.C. assumed Lelouch had fallen asleep and was going to do the same before Lelouch's soft voice stopped her.

"I must say I'm sorry C.C." He began.

She glanced at him, the moon's light only giving her some visibility. She could see he faced away from her, giving her a view of his raven hair, "What brought this on?" She asked.

Lelouch now turned to face the ceiling giving C.C. an angled view of his face, "Earlier today, I ignored your warning, believing that I would claim victory in Saitama like I did in Shinjuku."

Ah…now she understood, "So you lost against Cornelia." She said.

Lelouch let out another sigh, "I wouldn't exactly say that I lost…I simply underestimated her. She planned for everything, she is on a different level than Clovis. Everything I did she fought against without hesitation, even willing to sacrifice her men to beat me. In the end, she had her knights attack me head on, and honestly she held me back. That is why I must apologize…I ignored your words, allowing my confidence to cloud my judgement. You were right in what you said, my confidence was nothing more than masked egotism brought about by Geass. With every battle since I got my Geass, I emerged victorious, and that made me blind to what a true strategist like Cornelia could do. If I heeded your warning then maybe, I would have gotten to Cornelia, and maybe I would be currently be a step closer to knowing what happened to my mother." He finally turned to look at her, "I also want to thank you for aiding me in this. Without you this literally wouldn't be possible, so thank you for helping me get closer to achieving Nunnally's dream." He gave her a thankful smile.

C.C. stared at him mouth agape before a smile adorned her own features. She turned away from him, "Such trivial things are not needed, boy, when we formed a contract I was ready to accept everything that came with it. What you do with the power of the king is up to you, I'm simply there for the ride. You can go on a rampage, killing anyone in your bath. You can ignore this rebellion and simply walk straight into Pendragon aimed to take over the country, or you can become humanity's enemy and take over the world. Whatever it is you choose I will always remain, until the day comes that you will grant my wish."

Lelouch focus on the ceiling again, "Yes, should I become humanity's nightmare, I will always have one ally. My most trusted accomplice, C.C."

* * *

Days flew by after the battle of Saitama, and in no time it was two weeks after Zero's "defeat". The news reported on Cornelia's destruction of the Yamato Alliance, but made no mention of Zero's involvement. After the battle, Cornelia went directly to Lloyd on the new power which Zero demonstrated. Showing him the view, the scientist could only come up with a theory. From what he saw the shards seemed to stop in a curved angle, so he theorized that Zero's power suit was also capable of creating some sort of magnetic bubble which gave off the appearance of telekinesis. Cornelia was pleased with what he answered, so she rewarded him with all footage revolving Zero, and made him the head of investigation when it came to Zero's suit. Lloyd happily agreed, ecstatic to find out what exactly Zero's power armor was.

Zero did his own investigation. Lelouch began testing his new found ability, and determined that it was in fact not telekinesis. His power only allowed him to manipulate ferrous and nonferrous metals which means metal with or without iron, along with being able to form small magnetic fields around metallic objects. For example, he was able to make one metallic object attract to another, similar to a magnet. In addition, he was also able to make them repel each other by giving them the same pole. He determined the manipulation of metals as the primary ability. ( **A.N. The ability is the same as Magneto's, but I have greatly downgraded it since Lelouch would be far too powerful if I gave him Magneto's full abilities** )

In addition to testing his new ability, Lelouch finally decided to come clean about his identity to Sayoko. It was no surprise to the maid as she had already concluded as much. In the same conversation Lelouch asked Sayoko for training in martial arts. To say Sayoko beat him to death is an understatement, but after applying some of her basic teachings with his armor on, he saw improvement. Another thing he spoke with Sayoko about was her role in his rebellion. She reminded him the duty he originally assigned her was to care for Nunnally. That is why he was hesitant to ask for her to take a greater role in his plans, but found that her abilities would be very useful. Thus he offered her Geass after explaining what exactly it was. He could tell that she was unsure of accepting and told her to think it over. Either way he would work his plans around whether or not she receives Geass.

School life continued as normal, and he could tell Kallen and her group were growing restless. He kept reassuring them that Zero is simply waiting for the right moment to announce themselves, but that can only go for so long. On the Student Council's end, the girls decided to plan a visit to the resort located on Lake Kawaguchi. Kallen turned down their offer, claiming she had doctor's appointments, so the only members going were Shirley, Milly, and Nina.

On the topic of the genius girl, her xenophobia actually managed to subside around Suzaku. It wasn't like they were the best of friends, but she managed to return to class without shaking in fear around the Eleven boy. She was still weary around him, but otherwise accepted him as a council member.

The day of the girls' trip, Lelouch decided it was time to show Kallen and her group their new headquarters. Either way it seems like just another day, but neither groups could foresee the events which would occur later that day.

* * *

Ohgi along with Kallen, Tamaki, Minami, and Naomi entered the luxurious vehicle in awe.

"It's about time you arrived."

The resistance fighters all turned to see Lelouch sitting on a curved sofa, "As of today this will be our hideout." He stated. Everyone quickly walked in and watched looked around inside.

"Are you okay with doing this? I mean you are a Britannian student." Ohgi asked. Lelouch simply leaned back leisurely.

"Believe me, Ohgi, I have no love for Britannia, besides I've known Zero far longer, and accepted the dangers which came with helping him long ago." He explained.

Ohgi accepted the lie, "But how did you manage to get this? It must have cost a fortune." The former teacher questioned.

Lelouch gave him a smile, "Let's just say a noble I beat owed me, and instead of pounds I asked for this. Zero asked me to find a suitable hideout, so why not one that moves?"

Tamaki sat on the same sofa as Lelouch finally making himself at home, "Speaking of Zero, where the hell is he? How come he hasn't appeared in the last few weeks?" Tamaki probed. Lelouch glanced at him, and the others clearly seeing how they wanted to know the same thing.

"I can see you are all curious about your new leader, and I can understand that. As for where he is, that's simple, he does have a life outside of this." Lelouch gave them a suitable lie. They all looked at each other confused.

"Wait…are you saying Zero has, like, a day job?" Tamaki asked the question on all their minds.

"In a way yes, as to what it is, I'm not sure myself." Lelouch praised himself for being able to lie so confidently. It seems years of gambling have helped in his mastery of his poker face.

A chuckle came from Ohgi, "I can't help but picture Zero in some boring office job."

The same picture entered everyone else's minds and they couldn't help but agree on how strange that would be.

"Either way, we don't really have the right to question him. After all, he is taking the time to help us, even though he can take on Britannia by himself." Kallen added. That put another question into Ohgi's mind.

"She makes a point. Do you know why Zero is agreeing to help us? He's made it evident that he doesn't really need anyone to help him take on Britannia." Ohgi asked the amethyst eyed boy. Again the boy smiled mysteriously.

"Zero might hold inhumane power, but it seems he doesn't want that to be how the world sees him. This is only a theory, but I believe Zero wishes to do more than liberating Japan," This caught everyone's attention. Lelouch smiled as he watched them grow interested, "With his power Zero wishes to show the world that not all those who command are oppressors. He wants to show the world that "survival of the fittest" is a century old ideal which belon—" Lelouch's monologue was interrupted by his phone ringing. Everyone froze as he pulled out the phone and answered it.

"Hello Rivalz, what's up?" Lelouch asked his friend.

"LELOUCH! Where are you?! Have you seen the news?!" Rivalz shouted at his phone.

Lelouch removed the receiver from his ear before Rivalz finished yelling, "Rivalz, what's wrong? Why are you shouting?" He asked his friend.

"Just turn on the news! You'll see what I mean!" Rivalz basically ordered.

Lelouch signed before standing from the sofa, the resistance members watched as he grabbed the remote off the table and turned on the large television. As the news came on, Lelouch and Kallen froze.

The breaking news was about the Lake Kawaguchi resort, and how it was taken over by the Japanese Liberation Front. The news anchor reported everything they knew about the hostage situation, and it wasn't until the screen changed to a roughly filmed video of the hostage that Lelouch finally understood. Among the hostages were the girls from the student council.

" _Dammit…out of all days, the JLF could have made their move they choose today."_ Lelouch thought venomously.

"So the JLF finally made their move." Minami commented.

"It's expected after all, they are the biggest anti Britannian force, and they take pride in that." Tamaki added.

"Do you think they finally acted since their pride was hurt due to Zero's appearance?" Minami questioned.

"That could be." Tamaki said.

* * *

On the site Andreas Darlton stood in G-1 along with other commanders, "All bridges connecting to the hotel except the main one have been destroyed. Approaches from the air and water have failed. There is only one route left from which to develop a hostage rescue plan," Darlton turned to face Cornelia as a 3D map appeared on the screen behind him, "The utilities tunnel running right under the convention center hotel. We can use this and follow with the plan to destroy the hotel's foundation, so we can submerge the hotel. The tunnel was built to transfer supplies so Sutherlands can fit inside." The general finished.

Cornelia nodded in understanding, "Very well, send in Sutherlands to dispose of any resistance in the tunnels."

After giving the order, three Sutherlands were lowered into the tunnel. They sped towards the hotel, not knowing of the resistance they would face.

"Enemies detected, moving through the underground passage, as expected!"

"Roger that! Raikou, secondary Startup! Left and right quad-linkage legs, locked! Super electromagnetic shrapnel cannon voltage, confirmed!"

The Raikou was a 5 meter tall modified coil gun built out of four Glasgows. Built specifically for this hostage operation, the Japanese Liberation Front positioned it in the tunnel for the sole purpose of stopping anyone who tries to get through. The knightmares quickly made their way further into the tunnel, finally getting a view of the giant gun. Believing it to be nothing more than another anti-knightmare weapon they spread out to minimize the damage.

"Super electromagnetic shrapnel cannon, FIRE!" The head pilot of the Raikou shouted.

The case fired from the cannon releasing giant steel balls. The three knightmares stood no chance as they were torn apart.

"Good job men! Load the next shot!"

"What?! The entire team was wiped out!" Darlton asked in doubtful.

"It seems they've modified Glasgows into a linear cannon!"

Darlton scowled, "So is there no way to break through it? What do we do? Should we release the political prisoners like they demanded?"

"Of course not!" Cornelia entered the conversation, "We cannot give these terrorist what they want, and we shall not show any weakness!" She bellowed.

Guilford bent down, "But Princess Euphemia is…" He whispered into Cornelia's ear.

"I know Guilford, but I doubt they've found out yet. If they did they would use her as a bargaining chip." Cornelia angrily answered.

* * *

"Can't ASEEC do anything about this?" Suzaku asked in desperation. He stood at the edge of the lake's bank. Next to him Lloyd sat on the grass picking at it in a bored manner.

"I asked, but we're an irregular unit with a different chain of command, besides…" Lloyd trailed off as he threw a rock at the lake making it skip across the lake.

"They can't trust an Eleven which such a dangerous operation." Suzaku finished for him.

Lloyd faced Suzaku with his usually smile, "Princess Cornelia is very discriminating about numbers even if they are honorary-Britannians."

Cecile who stood next to Lloyd spoke, "But then what's the point of even having the honorary Britannian system?"

* * *

Lelouch sat watching the news on his laptop. He held a phone to his ear pretending to take a call form Zero. He told the others to begin unpacking several boxes filled with additional accessories for their new HQ. They did as he said, but he knew they were curious about his call with Zero so he allowed Kallen to snoop on the "conversation"

"So are we going to make a move?" Lelouch acted, slightly feeling foolish for talking to literally no one. After a few seconds he spoke up again, "But Zero…they have my friends." He made sure to sound extra desperate. He knew he could only keep the resistance members in the dark for so long, so he would have to act it up a little to keep suspicion away from him.

When Kallen heard Lelouch's desperation, she couldn't help but grow increasingly worried, _"It makes sense if Zero doesn't want to help. After all they aren't any Japanese among the hostages, but…"_ Her mind went to the three girls from the student council, and the small amount of time she's spent with them, _"Why should I care? They are Britannians, the enemy…"_ Even though she knew she should hate Britannians she couldn't help but enjoy her time with the student council.

"Very well, I'll tell them."

Kallen stopped thinking about the council and quickly focused back on unpacking a box before she stood and made herself known, "So what did Zero say?" She asked him. Lelouch didn't look away from the screen.

"I think it's time for me to head home." Lelouch stood from his seated position.

Kallen looked at him confused, "What? What about the council?"

Lelouch faced her, "Zero has agreed to help, he'll be here in two hours, so until then all of you wait here."

Kallen was taken back by the order, "Two hours? What if the JLF doesn't wait that long."

Lelouch gave her a reassuring smile, "If the JLF truly want to negotiate then this hostage situation will take longer than a few hours, so do not worry. I'm sure he'll manage to save them."

Kallen found herself slightly blushing as Lelouch exited the room. He made his way downstairs catching the attention of the other members, "All of you, ready yourselves with the uniforms in those boxes. Zero will arrive in two hours." He told them.

"Wait where are you going?" Tamaki asked confronting the Britannian.

"I'm going home. I've already finished my role in this. I am Zero's financial support, along with anything else I can get him. You all know that I am not courageous enough to actually fight. I'm sorry for my cowardice, but I can't risk dying." Lelouch explained causing Tamaki to grow angry.

"Of course you damned Britannian would run! I thought you were different form others, but it looks like you are still a pampered Britannian brat!" Tamaki shouted. Ohgi quickly stepped up.

"Enough Tamaki," He calmed the other man before facing Lelouch, "You yourself said you accepted what came from joining us, but why run when it comes to face danger?"

Lelouch glanced at Kallen, "So you haven't told them." The red head simply shook her head. Lelouch turned back to the others, noticing how everyone was facing him already, "I am afraid of dying, I'm sure everyone in this room is, but it's not simply because I cherish my own life. I know I may die in this endeavor, but what scares me the most is leaving my sister alone. After all I am the only one she has left after our parents died in the war seven years ago."

They all stared at him after the revelation understanding what he meant, "We're sorry, we weren't aware of your situation. We simply guessed all Britannians were living in luxury. We had no idea even Britannians were affected by the war."

Lelouch gave them a smile, "Do not worry about it, you couldn't have known. It should me who is sorry because as you are willing to sacrifice your lives to reclaim your country, and here I am worried about my sister."

Ohgi smiled back, "This isn't your fight in the first place…after all you aren't even Japanese."

With that they bid they're goodbyes and Lelouch left. Hailing a cab, he made his way home, and thought over the situation, _"I don't doubt Cornelia will barge into the hotel, regardless of what happens to the hostages. She would simply announce their deaths as necessary losses to take down the terroristic Japanese Liberation Front. The country would mourn for a few days, but otherwise would move on. Survival of the fittest after all,"_ Lelouch glanced at his watch _"Yet an hour in and she has yet to do anything. Why? It's almost as if she is hesitant to anger the JLF, afraid of the hostages, but what would make the Witch of Britannia hesitate?"_ An image of a bubbly pink haired girl entered his mind, _"Could it be…Euphemia?"_

* * *

Night had descended, and the JLF were still at a stalemate with Cornelia's forces. No one had made a move.

As Suzaku sat in the cockpit of the Lancelot, Cecile behind him fixing something within the cockpit, "Those students are part of the student council aren't they? They'll keep up the negotiations for them, so you shouldn't worry so much." Cecile tried to calm the young man's nerves.

"I believe in the logical system of negotiation over the rash method of attack." He answered before something on his screen caught his attention. He quickly zoomed the Lancelot's view to see the JLF on the hotel roof, along with them a Britannian hostage.

Suzaku's eyes widened, realizing what was going to happen, "Miss Cecile, look!"

The woman quickly looked at his view, "Are they going to…" She asked rhetorically.

He watched as they pushed the tied up man closer to the edge, "Don't do it," They now had the man balancing before they pushed him off the roof, "NOOO!"

Lt. Colonel Josui Kusakabe appeared on the screen of G-1, "We have yet received an answer for our demands, so from this point on we will throw one hostage off the roof every thirty minutes! If you truly care for the hostages then I suggest your answer be in our favor for the next hostage will be a woman." With that the communication was ended.

Cornelia walked through the halls of G-1 far angrier than before, General Darlton and her knight Guilford at her side.

"That is their warning? Those savages!" Darlton commented angrily.

"We could negotiate to just get the women and children released first." Guilford suggested

"No!" Cornelia shouted, "The moment we decide to negotiate, it would only make them victorious. We can't allow pathetic terrorists to command us!"

"Then should we use force?" Darlton asked.

"That can only happen _after_ we've secured Princess Euphemia's safety. Right?" Guilford looked to Cornelia for confirmation.

Cornelia ignored her knight, _"Euphy, why did you have to go today of all days?"_

"Viceroy! It's Zero!"

* * *

"What? Car three was stolen? What was Gibson doing? And who stole it?" Diethard asked as he sent his fishing line into the lake. Being stuck at Lake Kawaguchi to cover the hostage situation was very boring, so he found himself fishing of all things.

"That's the thing, we found Gibson knocked unconscious! When he came to, He said it was Zero!"

Diethard's eyes widened, "Where is car three now?"

"Heading straight to the military!"

All lights flicker on as the news van drove up to the surrounded G-1. All knightmares aimed their guns at the cloaked figure who stood on top of the van.

"We confirm it's Zero. Should we open fire?"

"Just stand by. I doubt we'll be able to do much to him anyway." Darlton ordered.

Meanwhile those inside the van could only sweat, "So…what do think his plan is?" Ohgi asked from the passenger's seat.

"Honestly I'm not sure…if they do open fire, Zero will be fine, but we'd be done for." Kallen answered.

"Why didn't we just use our HQ?" Minami asked.

"Idiot, do you want them to know about our new hideout?" Naomi chastised.

"I swear I still don't trust Zero, what if he just turns us over!" Tamaki remarked.

"Why would he do that now of all times?"

As Zero stood on the moving van, three Gloucesters screeched to a stop in front of him, blocking the bridge leading to the hotel. The leading Gloucester was heavily modified, _"Cornelia, as much I would like to attack here, we have more important things to deal with."_

Cornelia exited her cockpit and stood, "We meet again Zero. Are you allied with the Japan Liberation Front? Maybe you intend to help us? No matter, you have yet to pay for the murder of my brother Clovis, and you foolishly face me."

Zero chuckled, "We both know nothing you can do will hurt me. As for the murder of Clovis, that fool deserved it." He exclaimed.

Cornelia scowled, "How dare you! I'll have your head!"

Zero grew annoyed, "Enough with your meaningless threats! Besides who is more important Clovis who is dead, or Euphemia who is alive?"

Cornelia's usually calm features became stunned which confirmed Lelouch's theory, _"So Euphemia is trapped inside. No matter how much you harden your heart, your love for Euphy will always remain. For once you're emotions are getting in the way."_

Cornelia visibly shook in anger at Zero's knowledge.

"I will save Euphemia for you!" Zero then exclaimed still standing confidently. Cornelia froze before she quickly steeled her features.

"I have no idea what you are talking about! Now leave before I order my mean to open fire!"

"You know the moment you order an attack, the chance to save Princess Euphemia will be lost." Zero exclaimed once again.

Cornelia's anger reached new levels, "If you think I'd let you get near my sister, then I will fight you here and now!" She pulled out her personal handgun, causing all the forces to ready their weapons.

"We both know that none of your men will leave a scratch on me, and if you order an attack, I will personally strike down every man in your arsenal!" Zero replied extravagantly.

Cornelia lowered her weapon, _"Damn this man! He knows I cannot defeat him, and if I were to attack him then he wouldn't hesitate to cut through me first. Should I let him through? Are his intentions truly only to help the hostages? What am I thinking! He's a terrorist! He'll only want to take the hostages for himself."_

"I assure you, that I will not harm Princess Euphemia! Out of all Britannians, she truly wishes for the safety and prosperity of others, no matter their ethnicity! As a sign of good faith I present you this!" Zero said as he the van door opened revealing a masked Ohgi. He carried the man thought executed in his arms.

Cornelia looked down at the Britannian hostage. What Zero said was true, and she was out of options, "Let him pass…"

All of her men were shocked by her decision but any voices of disagreement remained silent. The van started moving and he slowly passed Cornelia's Gloucester.

"I don't care how strong your suit is, if you harm even one hair on Euphemia's head, I will rip you limb from limb." Cornelia silently growled only allowing Zero to hear. Even though Lelouch knew it was literally impossible for Cornelia to injure him, he couldn't help but shiver at the tone of her voice, believing 100% that she would find a way to lacerate him.

"Duly noted." Was his only reply.

The van passed through the gate, and Zero looked up to the shadows observing him, _"I will offer them allegiance, and hopefully they will refrain from performing any more of these hostage take overs, but if they refuse then I will have no choice but to eliminate them. No matter the case they obviously can't resist meeting the infamous Zero."_

"Viceroy is this the right course of action?" Darlton asked the pinkette.

"I thought with Zero we can draw out the time before another hostage is executed. Tell Asplund to deploy the Lancelot."

* * *

"Yes, of course your highness!" Lloyd exclaimed happily before turning to Cecile and Suzaku.

"They gave the green light! Go for it Lancelot!" He revealed.

Suzaku and Cecile turned to the scientist, "What do you mean?" Suzaku asked.

"Cornelia gave the Lancelot's permission to enter the tunnel to deal with the linear cannon." Lloyd smile never left his face. Cecile looked at him disapprovingly.

"You mean they're using him as a decoy to make an opening for them!" She said.

"Seems that way, they'll probably use the confusion to send in the royal guard."

"But that isn't right!"

"Miss Cecile," Suzaku finally interrupted his two bickering colleagues. The woman turned back to face him, "I'll do it! Even if I'm used as a decoy, I wish to help save the hostages!"

* * *

"Warrant Officer Kururugi here is the outline of your mission. According to prime search, the hostages are located on the hotel's middle floor. It's believed they're locked inside a food storage room. You will use the Lancelot to enter the utilities tunnel to move under the hotel. Once you get passed the linear cannon, you will destroy the foundation block and submerge the hotel. The floor with the hostages should hold out for 8 minutes. Hostage rescue and the terrorist will be handled by other units. The Lancelot shall be equipped with the VARIS to destroy the foundation, so set the impact rail to anti-material level 3." Cecile finished briefing Suzaku as he sat in the Lancelot which was being lowered into the tunnel.

"Now the only problem is that linear cannon, even with the Lancelot your space will be limited to an evasion rate of 47.8%." Lloyd informed. His assistant turned to Lloyd.

"Are you sure he will be able to do this?" She asked fearfully.

"Sure, just bring it back if things get too rough, but remember Suzaku, you mustn't wreck the Lancelot. Shinjuku was enough damage." Lloyd warned.

The Lancelot finally stepped into the tunnel, _"Girls…just hold on, you'll be safe soon."_ Suzaku thought as he readied the Lancelot.

"12 minutes until the start of operation."

* * *

Inside the hotel, Nina shook violently in fear as Milly tried to calm her down. She looked up at an armed Eleven fear overcoming her, "W—why…why do you do this…Eleven…" She whispered but the guard still managed to hear.

"What did you say?! How dare you look down on us you damned Britannian bitch!?" The guard shouted.

Nina flinched at his raised voice, "Alright we understand, just please stop." Milly told the angry Eleven.

"Then correct her! We aren't Elevens! We're Japanese!"

Shirley metaphorically stepped in this time, "Alright we'll tell her!" She shouted.

The guard's anger shifted to her, "You dare speak to me that way! You three come with me to the next room, and I'll teach you not to look down on us!"

Nina shook even more, "No…no!"

"Get up now!" The guard grabbed Nina's arm and pulled her up, "No! Please NO!" The bespectacled girl shouted.

"Stop! This instance!"

The guard stopped when another voice chimed in. He turned to see a pink-haired girl standing confidently.

"Who the hell do you think you are!?" The guard released his grip on Nina and focused his anger on the newcomer.

"I demand you take me to your leader!" She yelled. Her personal guide attempting to stop her.

"What?!"

"I am Euphemia li Britannia, third princess of the Empire!" Euphy declared proudly before looking at the council members.

"Are you girls alright?" She asked concerned.

* * *

"So you have no intention of joining me and releasing the hostages?" Zero asked. He managed to get taken to their leader. The resistance cell were forced to stand outside after giving up their weapons.

"Joining you, no, but if you're willing to join us then with your power we can take back Japan from those dogs. We can claim our land for the Japanese once again!" Kusakabe asserted.

"And what if I told you that I wasn't Japanese." Zero inquired. Kusakabe grew furious.

"What?" He tested.

"You are mistaken if you think I am Japanese, so I ask you again join me." Zero offered once more.

"You…how dare you mock us! We will never join a Britannian!" Kusakabe shouted.

Zero sighed audibly, "Then you leave me no choice. For the dishonorable actions of holding innocent people hostage and even going so far as attempting to execute one, I condemn you to death, any last words?"

Kusakabe smiled boastfully, "Don't take me for a fool, Zero. I know we have no chance against you, but that doesn't mean we'll go down without a fight!" Kusakabe pulled a trigger from out of nowhere.

"Guns and knightmares might not be able to defeat you, but let us see how you do against 500 pounds of C4, and several tons of rubble!" Kusakabe announced boastfully.

"You never intended to free the hostages did you?" It was an empty question for sure. Kusakabe's smile grew

"Now join us Zero! Or I will take you and the damned Britannians down with us to hell!" Kusakabe thought he had won, but he was sorely mistaken.

Zero revealed his arm from underneath his cape, stretching it out as for a handshake, "Very well…I'll be taking that."

Kusakabe watched shocked as the trigger flew out of his hand and into Zero's left hand.

"What?!" Seeing as his trump card was now in Zero's hands, Kusakabe knew he had lost, "All men fire!" He shouted as he ducked out of the way of his men's field of view.

The men lined up behind him opened fire, but Zero simply raised his right hand. All the bullets halted in midair not hitting their mark, as Zero stopped them with his metal manipulation.

"This is your own doing, goodbye." Zero solemnly said before making his hand into a fist. He noticed another soldier entered due to the sound of gunfire, but the soldier quickly jumped back into the hallway as the floating bullets returned to those who fired.

"You demon!" Kusakabe's finally words before he was shot in the head.

 **Outside a few minutes earlier**

Ohgi stood against the hallway wall, growing tired of doing nothing. Zero was speaking with Lt. Colonel Kusakabe for almost 20 minutes now, and he only grew more anxious. His friends at his sides, they simply waited for Zero to come out.

A JLF member came around the corner, a pink haired girl behind him, "I've brought the hostage I radioed in about for the Lt. Colonel. She claims to be Princess Euphemia."

Ohgi's group eyed the soldier and Princess in shock before the sound of gunfire interrupted them. The soldier guarding the entrance to the room quickly burst in only to duck back out as bullets flew into the back wall, going through various JLF members. Ohgi took this confusion as a chance to tackle one of the JLF members. His team followed behind him, rendering the JLF members armless.

Ohgi peaked into the room, and saw the corpses of Kusakabe and his men. Zero stood straight at the head of room before he turned toward the door, "Princess Euphemia."

Said girl walked passed Ohgi, and entered the room, "So you are Clovis' killer."

Zero turned to Ohgi, "I wish to speak to the princess in private. All of you proceed to free the hostages." He ordered.

Ohgi nodded, "Yes, Zero."

Meanwhile in the tunnel the pilots of the Raikou were in a panic. The new knightmare managed to get passed all their shots.

"It's broken through salvo number 5! This is impossible!" One of the pilots shouted.

"Enough panicking! This is the final defense line! Be ready to give your lives defending this spot!"

Suzaku watched as the gun was going to fire again, "Miss Cecile! I am going to use the VARIS!" He told the purple haired woman.

"Suzaku! It's too dangerous!" She warned.

Suzaku skillfully piloted the knightmare, "There's almost no room for me to move, but I'm prepared to take the blast!" He said determined as he readied the prototype gun. He saw as the cannon fired, and then fired the VARIS.

* * *

"It's an honor to meet you to Sub-Viceroy." Zero bowed his head in respect.

"I can't return the feeling, Zero." Euphemia said.

"Understood. Because I killed Clovis, I assume."

"Why…why did you kill my brother?" Euphemia trembled as she questioned him.

"Why? Do you really not know the horrors your brother committed?" Zero asked.

Euphemia stayed silent.

"I watched as your brother, Prince Clovis, ordered the death of hundreds of innocent Japanese people. Children, Woman, the elderly there was no discrimination, they simply slaughtered anyone who wasn't Britannian. That is why I killed him, to have him repent for him ordering that massacre. The quick death I gave him, was nothing short of mercy." Zero explained, watching as Euphemia absorbed the information.

"Then…what will you do with me? If you intend to kill me then do so. If you want to use me for information then you should know I will give you none, so killing me would be easier." Euphemia pulled on a brave front, but Lelouch's could see how his sister slightly trembled. It was very well hidden, but he could still make it out.

"You have my respect, Princess, in the face of death you stand confidently. Most men would be begging for their lives by now." _You haven't changed_ Lelouch added the last part in his mind. Euphemia was taken back by Zero's change in tone. Instead of an emotionless robotic voice, it almost sounded kind and sincere.

"Well then…get on with it." Euphemia readied herself for her demise. She stood confused when Zero let out a kind chuckle.

"Truly you amaze me Sub-Viceroy, but do not accept death so quickly because I gave Cornelia my word that I wouldn't harm a single hair on your frame, and quite frankly I don't doubt she will rip me limb from limb as she threatened." Zero's humorous attitude caught Euphemia off guard again, believing the current situation wasn't really one to be cracking jokes.

Even then, her heart couldn't help but warm at the mention of her sister's claim. To this day, Cornelia held her above all else.

Euphemia refocused her view on Zero, "If you don't wish to kill me or threaten me for information, then what will you do."

Zero reached into his cape causing Euphemia to freeze, but what he revealed confused her. In his extended hand, he held a cellphone and envelope.

"An acquaintance of mine asked me to give you this." He stated as he held the paper and phone out.

"And why is that?" She asked.

"Honestly, I don't know. All he said was to tell you he was "an old friend", and to ask you to keep this a secret, even from your sister. Why? He didn't say." Zero continued to hold out the phone and envelope.

"How do I know this isn't some sort of trap?" She asked.

"You don't…you'll simply have to trust me."

* * *

The Lancelot burst from underneath the lake, having destroyed the Raikou he flew out of the tunnel through the hole his gun had made. Quickly reloading the VARIS, Suzaku fired upon the support pillar which held up the hotel, completely destroying them.

Cornelia and her men watched as the Lancelot destroyed the pillar, causing the hotel to begin submerging.

"That Eleven actually did it." Cornelia stated in awe.

Said boy sat in his knightmare watching as the building fell, but a single figure in a window caught his eye. He quickly zoomed in on the window, "It's Zero!" He shouted. His eyes widened when he saw Zero reveal a trigger in his hand.

" _Seems we won't get to fight again, Suzaku."_ Lelouch thought as he pressed the trigger. The building erupted in a fiery explosion.

"EUPHY!" Cornelia shouted in utter desperation as she watched the building be engulfed in an explosion.

Suzaku landed outside of the hotel's gate only to jump back into the falling hotel, "MY FRIENDS!" He shouted.

"Warrant Officer Kururugi don't!" Lloyd shouted but his warning fell on deaf ears as Suzaku charged in.

Diethard was in van two, "What of the cameras in car 3?" He asked

"But Zero stole the van."

"Then hope we get a signal!" Diethard shouted at the incompetent camera man. He refocused on the static coming from one of the many monitors.

" _What's wrong Zero? Didn't you want to make a show out of this?"_ Diethard thought.

* * *

Suzaku sat in his Lancelot shaking, "I—I couldn't save them…" He thought devastated. The Lancelot remained unmoving as it stood in the remnants of the hotel, "I…I failed… again!" Tears appeared at the corners of his eyes as he slammed his fist on the cockpit's console.

Inside the news van, Diethard watched as cameras from van 3 turned on revealing the masked Zero. All over Area 11 and the world people stopped to watch the appearance of Zero.

"No need to fear, my dear Britannians," Zero began before the camera's view changed to show the hostages which floated in rafts, "All the hostages are safe and unharmed. I return them to you."

Suzaku praised whatever gods there were as he saw his friends among the survivors, "They're okay."

Rivalz was working as a bartender when he saw the image of the hostages, "Thank god!" He shouted.

Cornelia stared angrily, "You fiend, if we were attack, they would quickly become your hostages!"

Then lights turned on and beamed down on Zero who was surrounded by people dressed in black, "People of the world! Fear us! Or rally behind us! We are the Black Knights! We are those who stand by any who do not have weapons! Whether they be Elevens or Britannians! That is why I could not tolerate the Japan Liberation Front's cowardly act they performed today. They took innocent Britannian civilians hostage, and even attempted to execute one. It was a futile and dishonorable act, which is why I made them repent with their lives!"

"You heard me! Let it run!" Diethard shouted into his earpiece, "Responsibility? I'll take responsibility! Now let it run!"

"Just as I punished former Prince Clovis, who ordered the butchery of unarmed Elevens! We could not sit by and allow innocent people to be held responsibility for the acts their country commits, and so we mete out a sentence. I will not encourage fighting, but that does not mean I will sit idly as a one-sided slaughter of the weak is orchestrated by the strong! The only ones who should kill are those prepared to be killed! Wherever and whenever those with power use it against those without, we shall appear and bring judgment! No matter how great a power the strong hold!" Zero paused allowing all those watching to heed his words.

"Those with power fear us!" Zero extended one arm, which moved his cape swiftly, "Those who have none, rally behind us!" He extended his other arm.

"For we, The Black Knights, shall judge this world and condemn its oppressors!" Zero finished with his arms opened wide.

* * *

Later that night, Euphemia sat in her personal chamber. It took a lot of convincing, but Cornelia finally left her side, leaving her alone in her room. Her mind on the objects Zero gave her. She did as he asked, and kept the phone and envelope completely hidden from her sister. No one other than herself and Zero knew that she was in possession of them.

She had yet to open the envelope, and couldn't get any sleep since her own curiosity kept her wondering who exactly this "old friend" was. After an hour of thinking it over, she decided to open the envelope. She was beyond cautious as she ripped open the paper, and what she found inside further confused her. It was a postcard with a picture of the Tokyo Settlement on it. On its back, elegantly written were the words, "TO EUPHY" and a phone number.

She grabbed the cellphone she received eyeing it as if it would explode any second. After finally gaining courage, she dialed the number on the postcard.

The phone rang for a few seconds before someone on the other end answered. She held her breath as silence took over.

"It's been a long time, Euphy."

Euphemia nearly dropped her phone when she heard that voice. It was impossible, but everything started making sense in her mind. The voice was deeper than she remembered, obviously since several years have passed since she last saw him. Yet even through the vocal change, there was no doubt in her mind that it was his voice.

Her mouth was suddenly very dry, and her voice refused to work yet she managed to release one thing, a name albeit a bit hushed and slightly choked.

"Lelouch?"

* * *

 **I know the scene with Nina might be disliked by a lot of you, but I felt she was a very hated character, so gave her some spotlight. I don't dislike Nina, so I added the scene to show Lelouch's kindness.**

 **MM Browsing influenced this chapter a lot. I was stuck on how the Saitama battle was going to turn out. Originally I had Zero win the fight, but as I rewatched the actual episode I found Lelouch's loss to be very important. It was the point where he realized that his Geass will not guarantee his victory. MM Browsing came up with the idea of Lelouch wanting to protect someone thus resulting in his loss. I tweaked it a bit, but otherwise it was MM Browsing's idea.**

 **In addition the magnetism Lelouch gains, was also due to Browsing. I was unsure what ability to reveal in this chapter, and was actually going to reveal Zero's ability to summon knightmares, but found that the scene didn't exactly work out. Thanks to Browsing's various ideas I managed to plan out the scene.**

 **I know it might not make sense as to why Lelouch left so I apologize, that was the only way I could make him lose without making the scene even more improbable.**


	4. The Nightmare in Narita

**Another chapter. Originally going to be 20,000 words long, but I got a complain that the chapters are too long so I decided to split this chapter into two parts. The next part is halfway done, so if I get my ass moving it'll be done before Wednesday next week. For those still in school, you know why.**

* * *

"Lelouch?" Euphemia waited for a response, still doubting what she heard.

"Yes, Euphy, it is me." Lelouch answered.

"B-but…how? We t-thought…" Euphemia couldn't finish her sentence. She remembered when they told her how Lelouch and Nunnally died during the conquest of Japan.

"I know this must be a shock, and believe me when I say I was very reluctant to call you."

"But why?! Why didn't you come back! We thought you died! And Nunnally…is Nunnally alright!" Euphemia could no longer hold in her anger and sadness and relief as she found herself shouting into the phone.

"Nunnally is alright. She's living a normal life." Lelouch answered.

Euphemia let out a sigh, wiping tears away from her face, "Thank goodness, but why? Why did you take this long to contact us?"

"Like I said, I was very reluctant to call you. If it wasn't you then I would remain a secret. As to why I never came back, do you really need to ask? Why would we return to a country where we aren't wanted? I'd be damned if I allow Nunnally to be used by that bastard. To be used as a tool for his world domination! Our deaths granted us freedom, so we gladly accepted."

Lelouch's disdain made sense. Euphemia understood his reasoning. They were an exiled prince and princess, their father himself stated there were dead to him. Broken, weak tools which he had no need for. Euphemia suddenly found herself feeling stupid, she allowed her selfishness to overcome common sense. Euphemia hated her country's ideology. Survival of the fittest, only the strong can succeed. It made her sick, so she understood Lelouch's hatred.

"I'm sorry…I guess I let my own desires get the best of me. I'm just so glad…" Euphemia let her emotions loose again. Tears now freely fell from her eyes.

Lelouch could hear the crack in her voice, and he knew she was crying. He suddenly felt like such an asshole, "I'm sorry for snapping at you. I am actually really glad to speak with you Euphemia. Out of all my siblings, excluding Nunnally, you were always the kindest, but I still want Nunnally and me to remain a secret, so I ask that you keep this a secret."

"But I'm sure Cornelia would want to know about you too." Euphemia insisted

Lelouch frowned, "No, I can only trust you with this secret. Please Euphy, you mustn't tell anyone, not even Cornelia. If not for me then think of Nunnally. The Britannian way of life has no room for a frail girl like her." Lelouch requested.

Euphemia grudgingly understood, "Then tell me…tell me how you know Zero? Is he blackmailing you into helping him?" She asked.

Lelouch knew Euphemia would question how he was "acquainted" with Zero. "No Euphy, I joined Zero on my own accord. I believed he can help make Nunnally's life easier with his power. He can make this world a peaceful place where she can live." He explained.

"With murder and terrorism? He killed Clovis! How can you confide in a man like that?" She questioned

"Clovis deserved death. He was the epitome of Britannian Darwinism and his prejudice towards the Japanese only resulted in a one way slaughter. He was no brother of mine, and I will not mourn a mass murderer."

"Then you will aid his battle against Britannia? Will you help him kill your siblings?"

"That is not the goal, but if it is needed then yes. Euphy you can help us."

"Help you?" She asked incredulously, "Lelouch…Zero is a terrorist! How can you help someone who aims to terrorize Britannia?"

"You clearly misunderstand his motives. All I've seen him do is protect those who Britannia has oppressed, anyone with power for that matter. If protecting the oppressed weak from the oppressing strong is the definition of a terrorist then I have no choice but to become one. The Black Knights will fight for everyone who is weak. Isn't that another philosophy? "Only those who fight are allowed to rule?"

"Then that would make you the same as Britannia."

"No, sister, we will not oppress the weak instead allow them to rule. Instead of a totalitarian ruler bent on world domination, we would give the power to the people. We will create a world where the people govern, and where ALL men are created equal. Even if some are born swifter, richer, more powerful, that will not matter. Each and every individual is entitled to their rights. That is a world which must come to be."

"You really despise Britannia don't you? I understand we must change it, but violence isn't the answer. We must use diplomatic means." Euphemia tried to sway her brother, but she knew that his mind was already set.

"Yes, there are those who understand the evil that is the Emperor, but due to them being the weak they cannot help but stay quiet. I am sure you relate sister, and your pacifistic views are not something which our **father** will allow for much longer. It is only a matter of time before you are tossed aside, deemed too sentimental to rule the country. Then what will you do?"

Euphemia wanted to deny it, but she knew what he said was the truth. Deep down she feared what her father would do to her, Cornelia already lectured her on her views. Her elder sister put on a strict façade, but Euphemia knew she was only protecting her.

"It seems I will not change your mind. I just hope we won't find ourselves enemies in the future." Euphemia somberly stated.

"Me too, Euphy. I have to go now, so if you wish to call me again, I ask you do it around this time. Maybe next time you'll be able to speak with Nunnally." Lelouch said.

"Yeah, that would be nice." Euphemia commented. The call then ended and Euphemia was left alone in her room, fresh tears still in her eyes. She held the cellphone to her chest and released a sigh.

 _"Lelouch...Nunnally, thank god you are alive."_ She thought.

* * *

Two weeks quickly passed after The Black Knights appeared. Ever since the spectacular introduction at the Lake Kawaguchi high jacking, the Black Knights became the topic of the world. Everyone throughout the globe is talking about the mysterious organization, and more specifically its mysterious leader. As Zero proclaimed, the Black Knights became the allies of the weak. As knights of justice they judged terrorists who involve civilians, abusive solders, corrupt politicians, greedy corporations, and criminal syndicates. The Black Knights lived up to their name, and fought all oppressors who were out of the law's jurisdiction. They quickly went from being terrorists to being heroes which showed by the amount of supporters which continued to grow. In the increasing support, the Black Knights also managed to get more knightmares. Even if there were various supporters, there was still fear in publicly admitting to following the knights of justice due to the prospect of being imprisoned or killed.

The main reason the Black Knights became so popular revolved around the mysterious Zero who proclaimed Clovis' murder was his doing. The Black Knights grew increasingly curious as to who the figure was, and Lelouch's excuses were wearing thin. Zero knew he could only lie so much, and mused over the idea of revealing his identity as Lelouch to the founding members of the Black Knights. Yet he has not found the right time to do so.

Said founding members were not excluded, but they wouldn't pester Zero because they believed he would grow irritated and disappear. Without him they would still be terrorists, struggling to fight Britannia, but now they were knights. Lelouch told them Zero has reasons to keep his identity a secret, but they couldn't help but feel cheated. They all risked their lives and no one, other than Kallen, really had a life outside of the Knights, so why must Zero, a being who could risk being found since he literally holds the devil's power, be exempted from this? That was a clear question on all the member's minds, but again they were afraid of running him off.

The lives of the student council involved in the hostage situation returned to normal. Normal being used very malleably since the three girls could not leave the campus without having reporters swarm them. Trapped on campus, Milly forced the other club members to stay as well claiming since they are friends they'll "die together". Nina got passed the entire event and returned to her xenophobic life. The only Eleven who was excluded from her xenophobia was Suzaku who nearly cried as they were preparing their Arthur welcoming party.

Several people spoke on how to deal with the Black Knights, specifically the JLF's Tohdoh and the four holy swords who went back and forth on what to do.

Kallen also found herself dealing with problems. Due to the night raids she frequently took part in, she found herself sleeping in class, much to the amusement of her classmates. In addition she found her anger for her mother grow. She would yell at the maid out of anger countless times. Why was her mother so weak? Why did she allow herself to be pushed around? If Kallen could fight couldn't her mother do so as well? Her relationship with her step mother was still as bad as always, if not worse.

Lelouch returned to school life, and also found himself sleeping in class. Even then he was a master at masking his in class naps, and had yet to be caught. When Suzaku would come to school, He and Lelouch would find themselves arguing on the topic of the Black Knights. They mainly spoke on whether or not what they did was right. One such time Suzaku left the room claiming he had to return to the base. Lelouch could only scowl at his friend's tone. It seems Suzaku believed his place was at the ASEEC's facilities rather than at school.

As Lelouch began informing the Black Knights of the drug Refrain, they also planned out several raids on warehouses where Refrain shipments were kept. On one such raid after entering a warehouse and being ambushed by a corrupted officer, they found an entire group of Elevens using the drug. Among them was Kallen's mother to which she reacted angrily and bitterly, but couldn't help but cry at the sight of her drugged mother. It was then Kallen realized why her mother remained at the Stadtfeld Manor, it was all for her. She dealt with the brutal treatment because she wished to remain near her daughter, and to be there should she ever need her. After saving her mother, Kallen swore to change the world for when her mother recovers.

Cornelia kept her forces from cracking down on the Black Knights, allowing them to play vigilante momentarily as a way to pay Zero back for saving Euphemia. She told herself there were far more important things than a couple of revolutionaries with a super powered leader, but in reality she was simply stalling any actions towards the masked demon. She managed to push him back, and even temporarily pin him, but Zero managed to free himself and disable two of her best knights, and she was thankful he decided to leave that day in Saitama. She couldn't help but feel an odd and foreign sense of fear when she thought of what Zero could have done if he decided to stay that day. To rid herself of such weak feelings, she was focusing on destroying any other terrorist groups, but that was the problem. As much as she hated to admit it, the Black Knights were actually cleaning up Area 11, dealing with all the underground filth. It was helping her in her long term goal of handing Area 11 to Euphemia, so she could gain an anchor and not be used by her father as easily.

As for Sayoko and Nunnally. Sayoko turned down Lelouch's offer of Geass, and Lelouch accepted her decision. Any plans revolving around her quickly changed, but otherwise Lelouch wasn't at all surprised. Maybe it was intuition, but he felt Sayoko was too prideful to accept the help of something supernatural. In all his exploits he was always reassured that Nunnally would be safe with the kunoichi at her side. The super maid subtly tried to get him to tell Nunnally of his doings, but he could not gain the courage to tell the disabled girl. He was afraid she will be completely mortified and would begin hating him, and if Nunnally ever turned against him he didn't know if he would be able to remain sane.

Several applications continued to come in, and Lelouch would look over them to determine whether or not the person applying was fit to be in the Black Knights. He was taken back when he got the first Britannian applicant, Diethard Ried, but overall continued through the various applicants.

Days continued, and one day the Black Knights received a gift from Kyoto House. The rookie members of the Black Knights were beyond excited as they received various Burais and a new knightmare model the Guren MK-II. The Burais were modified Glasgows, but the Guren MK-II was a fully Japanese made knightmare, and its radiant wave surger was an incredible addition which the Kyoto House funded. The founding members of the Black Knights swelled with pride as they realized the Kyoto House recognized the Black Knights. Out of all the founding members, Tamaki used the new popularity as a way to boost his own ego.

Her comrades walked away from the new knightmare, keen on enjoying a small celebration, but Kallen stayed behind eyeing the Guren amazed by such a beautiful piece of machinery.

"To think Inoue and the others are joining Tamaki in his partying." Zero appeared from the shadows startling Kallen befre She faced him with a smile.

"Well with Kyoto backing us we can actually begin fighting Britannia. This is exciting even for us." Kallen glanced at the Guren to make her point.

"Kyoto backs various resistance groups, so this isn't really a momentous occasion." Zero stated.

"Still to think we are recognized by Kyoto. Must mean we are finally in, huh." Kallen said.

"Now that is where you are wrong. It is clear that Kyoto is merely testing us. They want to see if we will put these machines to good use." Zero explained.

"Even if that is true, this is still exciting. We came from nothing to now owning one of the newest Japanese knightmares." Kallen kept looking at the Guren.

"You're an optimist, Kallen, and that isn't entirely a bad thing." Zero quickly tossed something Kallen's way. The girl caught it and looked at it confused. It was a knightmare key shaped like a wing.

"This is…"

"The Guren MK-II is officially yours Kallen. Treat her well." Zero revealed causing the red head to look at him in shock.

"But…we have so many people! I'm sure there is someone else who needs this." Kallen humbly stated.

"We all know that I don't need it, and don't tell Tamaki," Zero's voice slightly quieted, "But you are the best pilot in the Black Knights, and you must express those skills with pride. You can only be so humble, so take boast about your piloting." Zero praised the now blushing girl before she closed her fist around the key.

"Yes, Zero. Thank you." Kallen expressed.

"Oi Zero, got a moment," They both turned to see Ohgi walk up to them. A folder in his hands, "We received some weird intel, and from a Britannian applicant no less. Do you think it is a trap?" Ohgi handed the folder to Zero. Zero eyed the contents over, "We can't exactly contact him, even with back channels. So what do you think?" Ohgi asked.

Zero finished reading and closed the folder, "It looks like we're going hiking this weekend. Ready all the members."

Ohgi stared at him confused, "Hiking?"

"Yes, to the Narita Mountains."

* * *

That night, Lelouch sat in the lounge with a cellphone to his ear and a laptop in front of him. He hoped Euphemia was still awake. He and her had spoken only a few times in the passed few weeks, and conversed of idle things. He would tell her about how he and Nunnally lived in the eight years they were exiled. Lelouch spoke of Suzaku which shocked Euphemia who then explained how she knew the kind Eleven boy. They shared laughs as they spoke of the Lancelot pilot.

He overlooked the map of the Narita Mountains before Euphemia answered, "Lelouch, this is a first. You've never called me."

"Euphemia, I have a request." Lelouch got straight to the point. His computer's view was on the actual town of Narita.

"Request?" She asked confused.

"I know about Cornelia's attack on Narita, and I want to ask what the precautions are with the civilians." Lelouch bluntly announced.

Euphemia remained quiet for a few seconds, "I asked Cornelia about them, and she said she would issue an evacuation announcement." Euphemia didn't want to know about how her brother knew of the upcoming attack, and she knew it was tied in with Zero, but they hadn't spoken much about Lelouch's involvement with the Black Knights. Any time she would ask worriedly, he would reassure her by telling her that he is simply supporting them financially, and was not in any real combat. She questioned how he could finance the organization, and he reluctantly told her about his gambling. She chastised him protectively, and Lelouch chuckled claiming she sounded a lot like Nunnally which then gained laughter from both of them.

"I doubt that will be enough. People do not listen to announcements, they are distracted by the cacophony of routine life. If the military doesn't implement the evacuation then they won't drop their mundane work to leave." Lelouch said.

Euphemia grew alert, "Cornelia said it is unlikely for the town to be attacked. Why are you so insistent? Is Zero planning something?" Lelouch's silence basically answered her question.

"Euphy, please. Promise me you'll force an evacuation, not just an order. I need to know all the people will be out of Narita." Lelouch asserted. _"This battle cannot turn out like Saitama. If civilians are caught up in this again then I will be the direct cause of their death. The land slide should engulf the entire area, so any civilians whom remain will be left to suffocate under the tons of rock and dirt. This is my chance to capture Cornelia, and I will not let past mistakes repeat."_ He thought as he waited for Euphemia's response.

"Lelouch…is Zero planning to kill Cornelia?"

Lelouch saddened at Euphemia's tone. No matter what he said to Euphemia, Zero will always be the person who killed her brother. He understood her worry, but could not bring himself to lie to the kind girl.

"Just…please make sure the town is evacuated. What occurs on that mountain must remain between the guilty." Lelouch then hung up, tossing his phone onto the table in front of him. He then buried his head in his hands, before moving his hands through his messy locks.

"That went well." C.C. monotone cut in. Lelouch sighed at the listless woman's comment.

"Thank you for the useless comment. At least attempt to motivate me with your wisdom." Lelouch sat back tiredly. C.C. lay on the couch beside him, the top of her head touching his leg causing some of her messy green hair to spill over the side of the sofa. She cuddled with her dear Cheese-kun as she faced the ceiling. She tilted her head slightly and looked at him.

"Euphemia and Cornelia's love for each other is comparable to your love of Nunnally, and it seems like you care about Euphemia, so I doubt killing her sister would be the best "I love you" gift." She stated.

Lelouch's violet pupil focused on her, "You are right about their love for each other, and distraught would be an understatement in describing what Euphemia would feel should Cornelia die. Besides Cornelia is the only thing keeping Euphemia from being completely manipulated by not only our **father** but by other government officials as well. They would see her kindness as weakness and will not hesitate to control her."

"So will you allow Cornelia to live after all she's done, or will you keep her alive out of love for Euphemia?"

Lelouch brought his hand to his chin. He was at in impasse on what his course of action would be. No matter what, he needed to know what happened to his mother, so he would need a good spot to interrogate her. But what to do with her after he got the information out of her?

"Dammit, now I have to change my plans, but what if Cornelia's reaction to my resurrection is not pleasant? Either way I'll need a secluded place to interrogate her," Lelouch swiftly stood "Guess I'll have to do some reconnaissance, ugh, it is going to be a long night." C.C. sat up never releasing her grip on her plushy.

"Where are you going?" She asked.

Lelouch finished putting on his shoes before answering, "To find a suitable location in Narita for interrogation. It'll probably take me some time so you'll have the entire bed for yourself." He began walking our of the room. A normal person might say them sharing a bed isn't really appropriate, but it became a normal thing for the two of them

"Don't die..."

He stopped and turned toward the lime haired girl who faced him emotionless, "I'm not doing anything drastic."

She pressed cheese-kun to her face, "I wasn't talking about now...it wouldn't be convenient if you were captured during the upcoming fight. Don't forget you still have a wish to grant." She leaned back onto the sofa.

"I've planned for everything, so I doubt this will be like what happened in Saitama. I appreciate the gesture, but you needn't remind me every time I leave." He said.

"I just feel in necessary to remind a power crazy boy like you...I've had several people cheat me out of my wish, and I do not want it to happen again." She explained.

Her face was covered by cheese-kun so Lelouch couldn't see her face, "Well thank you for the encouragement," He started somewhat sarcastically, "I'll be back soon, please keep yourself from eating pizza on my bed. It is a hassle to get out the grease stains."

He walked out of the lounge slightly sluggish when he thought of the prospect of not sleeping. As he neared the main entrance he was stopped by Sayoko.

"Going out, Master Lelouch?" The maid asked.

Lelouch saw through the ambiguous question, "I'm simply going to scout a location for a future mission. I don't know how long it will take, so you don't have to wait for my return." He told her.

She bowed, "Very well, but I ask you return quickly. You do have school tomorrow."

Lelouch couldn't help but smile, "Thank you Sayoko, and I'll try to be as quick as possible."

With their conversation over, Lelouch stepped out of the lavish building. As he stepped of the threshold of his accommodations, he looked up to see the night sky. The full moon shined brightly on him, "Already a month since my loss in Saitama yet it feels so far in the past. If all goes well in Narita, I might finally get answers." Lelouch said before activating his Geass. The bird like sigil appeared in his left eye and glowed a bright crimson. In an instance he was suited in his "Zero" armor. Activating his wings, he then soared into the night sky.

* * *

"Sector 5 nothing to report." A bored JLF member.

"Of course there's nothing to report. This mountain's under the Japan Liberation Front's control. Nobody can just—" Another member sat at a table which was occupied by a 'Go' board. His comment was cut off when they heard the sound of the cabin's door open. They turned to the door in confusion, and quickly stood, grabbing their guns when they saw who stood there.

"Zero!" They shouted as they aimed their guns at him. Zero calmly held up his hands.

"I did not come here to fight. I wish to speak with your leader." He stated his arms still in the air. The two Japanese men looked at him unsure before one of them went for a radio.

Inside the Narita Mountain was not dark caverns, but an entire military facility which acted as the JLF's main headquarters. The leader of the JLF, General Katase Tatewaki, hurriedly walked into the main command center, "Is it true? Has Zero appeared?" He demanded.

"Yes sir, here." A soldier handed him a radio. He eyed the men in the room before bringing the radio up to his face, "This is General Katase, is this really Zero?" He asked.

"Yes, this is Zero. I must say it is an honor to speak with you General." Zero's voice came from the radio. Katase quickly turned serious.

"Is there a reason you are here?" Katase anxiously asked.

"Do not worry General, I know what Kusakabe did were not your orders, so calm yourself." Zero reassured. Katase's features slackened, and he was thankful that Zero hadn't come to punish them as well.

"If you aren't here to fight, then why are you here? What business do you have with the Japan Liberation Front?" Katase questioned.

"I never stated I wasn't here to fight," Katase froze when he heard this, "But I do not plan to fight against the JLF, but rather alongside you General."

Katase could only stand in confusion, "What do you mean Zero?"

"I have received information from a reliable Britannian source. It seems your base was discovered by Viceroy Cornelia, and she is leading a full frontal assault on this mountain in an hour."

* * *

"We've split four battalions into seven units and hidden them. All we need is the Viceroy's signal then we'll surround them and wipe them out." Darlton explained the situation.

They were all in G-1, slowly making their way.

Euphemia turned to her sister, "Viceroy, are we sure no enemies will appear outside the encirclement line?"

Darlton decided to answer, "When the operation starts, we'll be blocking off the area. Any third party members will be easily spotted, and any highways will also be closed off. We have the entire Narita area covered, Sub-Viceroy, so there is no need to worry."

Euphemia turned to the man, "What about Zero? He can fly over all the road blocks."

"We have anti-air guns stationed around G-1, ready to hold him off. We also have jets and helicopters ready to deploy." He answered. Euphemia nodded in understanding before facing Cornelia.

"Viceroy, I know you gave an evacuation warning, but I may ask we send in troops to ensure the people evacuate." Euphemia stated.

Cornelia raised an eyebrow, "It is doubtful that the fight will make it into the city, and if it does then it's the own fault of those who remained if they get caught in the crossfire." She replied.

"Please Viceroy, I am sure the chances are low, but no one know can predict what will happen. For all we know, the JLF may try and use those who remain as hostages, and I wouldn't want anyone to go through such a situation." She clarified.

Everyone in the room remained quiet as they waited for Cornelia's orders. Cornelia eyed her sister her eyes narrowing, "Very well. Darlton order some reserve soldiers to go into the city, and ensure all citizens are in camps near G-1." She ordered.

Euphemia smiled, "Thank you Viceroy."

Cornelia returned a faint smile as he sister refocused on the map of the area. She continued to look at Euphemia's back, _"Why does it feel like you are hiding something, Euphy? And why are you hiding it in the first place?"_

* * *

"So what do you think we are doing with the Japan Liberation Front?"

"I don't know some training exercise."

"I guess only the higher ups would know Zero's plan. I mean what training needs excavators?"

Several rookie members of the Black Knights tried to understand their leader's reason for coming to Narita. They assumed they are allying with the JLF, but other than that they didn't really know what was going on.

Kallen sat in her Guren, reading its manual, "So Zero is serious about this, but can we win?" She whispered to herself.

Zero stood outside of the cabin lookout station. He took in the gorgeous view of the Narita Mountains, "If only Nunnally could enjoy this," Lelouch said before his mind shifted to his contractor, "I hope that woman isn't filling Nunnally's head with lies and misunderstanding." Lelouch struggled to keep C.C. back in Ashford, and she was adamant in protecting him. Of course she stated it was all for their contract, but he was slowly seeing through her façade. He reassured her by telling her he wouldn't be as careless as he was in Saitama, and she grudgingly stayed put.

" _Today is it, with this battle, I will test the loyalty of the Black Knights. They seem promising, but with the new members who knows how this turns out. Will they become cowards? I am sure the founding members would remain, but all the recruits might run in fear. This will be a daunting task for them, and even with the Japan Liberation Front, they might not be ready for a true battle. This is what will be different from Saitama, the turning point, if they run like the Yamato Alliance then they will perish, but if they follow my orders, they will be victorious. I can only hope it will be the latter."_

"All units are ready." Darlton informed.

"Understood! I will lead the battle while Euphemia provides logistical support from G-1 as planned. She will command the medical group and the evacuated civilians." Cornelia charged.

"Yes your highness," Guilford answered, "If I may Princess…shouldn't Euphemia be back in the government offices not in battle?"

"Euphy is far more stubborn than she looks. She told me she wanted to see actual combat for herself, but I feel she has another reason for coming." Cornelia expressed her concern. She often found herself conveying any form of concern to her loyal knight.

"What do you mean Princess?" Guilford asked.

"This may be me overthinking it, but I feel as though Euphy didn't want me to go through with this attack. She seems to have gotten more worried in the passed few days." Cornelia said.

"She must be anxious of this operation. It is only natural for her to be worried for you, after all the ranks and titles, you are sisters." Guilford stated.

Cornelia smiled, "You are probably right."

Jeremiah Gottwald scowled angrily, "I thought this battle would be my chance to redeem myself, but here we are stuck evacuating civilians." He stated angrily.

"Lord Jeremiah, the west sector of the city was evacuated. Now we must move on to the east and last sector." Villetta Nu's voice came over his radio.

"Let's just get this over with before the operation starts."

Euphemia watched the map, a yellow unit catching her attention, "Why is that unit so far behind the G-1?"

"That is the special unit with an Eleven pilot. Usually numbers aren't allowed to pilot knightmares but that unit is an exception."

Zero patiently waited alongside his men. The Japan Liberation Front agreed to ally with them, and agreed to Zero's terms. He waited as the preparations were made.

"Right! Commence operation!" Cornelia shouted as her knightmare was flung into the battle from the G-1. As soon as she gave the order, various knightmares activated and sped off into the mountain's base. More and more knightmares entered the forest aimed to wipe out the JLF.

"Japan Liberation Front, you who were left behind by time. You who became savages devoid of basic human kindness. Now your dream shall fall and rot into nothingness along with your forgotten nation."

General Katase stared at the tactical map, "Sir the Britannian forces have surrounded the mountain." A soldier in the command center exclaimed.

"It's just as Zero said. We'll proceed as he planned! Activate the mountain's defense systems! Keep the Burai pilots on standby, and ready the evacuation vehicles! Should anything go wrong we will abandon this station!" Katase gave orders in rapid succession. He eyed the hundreds of units appearing on the map, _"Zero, I pray this plan of yours works because if it doesn't there will be nothing left of the Japan Liberation Front."_

The Black Knights watched as dozens of air transports continued to drop hundreds of knightmares. All members began feelings a sense of dread as they watched Cornelia's forces fall onto the forest below.

Lelouch watched from behind his helmet, _"A full-scale war, but this time you will not defeat me Cornelia."_

Ohgi walked up beside him a hopeless snarl on his face, "They've begun." He said.

Below them Tamaki and Kent watched as well. Tamaki's face contorted in anger, "What is this Zero! This isn't some small attack, it's a goddamn war!" He shouted at the cloaked leader.

"You're right, from the looks of things, we are cut off and have no choice but to fight." Zero stated.

Inoue, Minami and Sugiyama stood next to Zero, "Fight? Their numbers are ten times the ones in Shinjuku." Minami said.

"Yeah! Shinjuku was one thing, but we are completely outnumbered here!" Tamaki shouted.

"These are also Cornelia's forces! They're considered the best in Britannia!" Kent added.

"You are correct. Honestly the odds are against us, and even with the JLF we will need a miracle." Zero said calmly. Ohgi turned to Zero disbelief written all over his face.

"Zero, what are you saying?!" He asked.

Zero turned to the man, "In order for the Black Knights to truly be seen as messiahs, we must perform the impossible! We are severally outnumbered and outclassed, but even then we must use this to accomplish a miracle."

"Zero, you crazy bastard! You may have the powers of the devil, but that doesn't mean we do! Have you forgotten that everyone besides you is human! We won't last ten minutes against her forces!" Tamaki yelled angrily.

"What happened to your will? What happened to liberating Japan?! You run scared at the first sight of failure! These are not the fighters I met in Shinjuku! I do have incredible power, and if I wanted I could fly straight to the command center and kill everyone there. Do you know why I don't?" Zero waited for an answer, but everyone either stared at him unsure or averted their gazes afraid to confront the frightening leader.

"If I were to attack and wipe out all Britannian forces, I would be no better than them. I would be the new "strong" and they the new "weak". That is why I confide in you, I wish to show the world that those who Britannia labeled as the weak are in fact the strong! Show them! Show Cornelia that you are not weak! That you are not inferior! You who are called nothing, show them that you are in fact everything. I may have power, but that does not make me better than any of you. Honestly, I am probably the worst one here. Their numbers are staggering, but we must overcome this. The moment you joined the Black Knights, you should have accepted the fact that you might die." Zero finished his speech and waited for the stunned knights to respond.

"General Katase, we've received a message from Cornelia's forces asking for our surrender."

"Idiot! We cannot surrender! If we fall, Japan's hope dies with us! With Zero's plan we might have a chance, so hold them off!" Katase responded.

Andreas Darlton led his squad up the mountain, "Any of those knockoff Glasgows?" He asked.

"Not yet sir, the JLF has yet to attack."

Darlton eyed his viewer, "Did the JLF somehow discover our plans?"

His thought was disrupted when various turrets lifted from the ground and began firing.

Cornelia smiled as she watched the hidden turrets appear, "They've made this entire mountain a fortress, but they'll have to do more than that to stop me!" She sent her lance into the automated guns, destroying them.

More guns appeared from the ground, and Cornelia easily destroyed them without much struggle.

[Is this everything? Cornelia is here! Is there no one who wishes to challenge me?!] She exclaimed over her knightmare's speakers. Guilford and Alfred G. Darlton in their own Gloucesters standing beside her.

Darlton led his force further up the mountain, "There seems to be a concentration of turrets over here! I believe we might have found our target!" He exclaimed. His men continued destroying the various turrets which were built into the mountain.

"General Katase, they've broken through our second defense! We have to send out Burais or they'll destroy this base!"

"Turret guns can only last so long, quickly radio Zero!" Katase ordered.

Zero waited for anyone to say anything. They all gawked at him unsure what any of them could say. Their stare off was interrupted by a JLF member who ran out of the cabin, "Zero! General Katase says there is no more time! Cornelia's forces have surrounded the mountain, they are closing in on the HQ!"

Zero turned toward the Guren, "Kallen! Will you remain?" He asked her.

Kallen froze at the sudden question before nodding in determination, "Yes!"

He faced the others again, "So are you with me? Or would you rather surrender now!" He shouted to all of them. Such short question seemed to inspire the Black Knights in a spiting way.

"I don't wanna to die, so I'll fight!"

"Screw surrendering! We'll make this miracle happen."

"Yeah, we have Zero, the Demon King! The moment we're down he'll wipe out Cornelia!"

All the members readied their weapons, those assigned knightmares quickly entered their respective Burais. Tamaki watched his fellow Black Knights gain a new sense of inspiration and grew angry.

"Dammit! Fine! We'll follow you Zero, but don't come crying to me when Cornelia annihilates us!" Tamaki shouted angrily.

Zero entered his own Burai. It was probably easier to fly around the battle field, but he would take precautions since Cornelia would be prepared for him. He would not let anti-air guns be the bane of his existence again. With the Burai he could also keep an eye on the battle, and follow Cornelia's tracks. The plan in capturing Cornelia revolves around getting her alone, and then Zero would attack.

"All Black Knights! Today we are launching a surprise attack on the Britannians whom surround the Japan Liberation Front! Main goal is to capture Cornelia, and to accomplice that we will diminish her forces! Await for my orders to attack! The Guren will give us an opening!" Zero bellowed from within his Burai. Everyone chimed into the communication channel listened to Zero's orders.

"Kallen! Use penetrating electrode number 3! That should be enough to finish it." Zero told the Guren pilot.

"Right!" She acknowledged. She quickly maneuvered the Guren's right arm over the electrode labeled '3'. She placed the giant arm over the case.

"Output, confirmed! Radiant wave surger, maintaining level status!" Kallen took a deep breath to ready herself for the battle she will engage.

"Initiating now!" Kallen activated her radiant wave surger. Her arm flashed with electricity which then travelled into the buried canister. After a few seconds steam appeared from the ground then the ground trembled and fell apart, "It worked!" She shouted in victory.

Elsewhere, Tohdoh sat in a truck as it barreled through a barricade, "Tohdoh, maybe we are going a little overboard." Shogo Asahina stated.

Tohdoh's eyes never left the road, "A blockade can only mean they've discovered our location. Asahina, Chiba! Prep the Burais for deployment!" He ordered, "Radio Urabe and Senba to do the same! If we hurry we might just make it!"

Darlton's squad pulled themselves up the mountain with their harkens. Darlton watched the map, a smile gracing his features. They had the mountain completely surrounded, "With this, the resistance in Area 11 will disappear!"

His celebration was short lived when the ground shook violently, "What the?!" Darlton shouted before a landslide completely engulfed his forces.

Cornelia and her knights stood to the side of the landslide, immobilized as the ground shook, "Princess, pull back!" Guilford ordered.

"Don't treat me like one of your women! Where's Alex? Have you communicated with Darlton?!" Cornelia sat in her knightmare watching as the landslide registered on her map. Countless signals were lost as they were taken by the landslide.

Inside the JLF headquarters Katase and his men braced as the mountain shook violently, "Will this place hold?!" Katase shouted.

"The basic structure should hold!"

* * *

"Oh, my!" Lloyd watched the IFF display, "At this rate they'll fall all the way to the bottom." The purple wave overtook the map.

"These heat readings are abnormal. Is it possible someone intentionally set off this landslide?" Cecile asked.

"I doubt even Rakshata's radiant wave surger could do something like this." He answered.

In front of them, sitting in the Lancelot's open cockpit, Suzaku turned back as he heard them, "Did something happen?"

Lloyd looked up at him, "Yeah, but it has nothing to do with us, so just sit patiently."

The landslide swept over the mountain without mercy. It continued going down the mountain, various fallen knightmares trapped in the tons of rubble. It made it to the city and decimated any building in its path.

" _I hope Euphemia heeded my warning. The landslide managed to wipe out at least half of Cornelia's forces, but there are still several of them active. Maybe I should have been a bit more precise."_ Lelouch rested his head in his palm as he watched the IFF display.

"It's time to call Katase." His face was then covered by his helmet as he made the connection to the JLF.

Inside the HQ the JLF were preparing their own forces when Zero appeared on the main monitor. General Katase turned to face the screen.

"General Katase, it's time to send out your forces. Remember our deal, Cornelia is mine." Zero stated.

Katase's face grew serious, "Very well Zero, you'll have Cornelia." Katase agreed to the terms Zero had set. "Alright men, send out all Burais! This is our time to show Britannia the pride of Japan!" The room released a roar in inspiration.

All throughout the mountain, hatches opened and various Burais appeared from the mountain. Sutherland were taken by surprise as the Burais attacked, and begun pushing them back.

Zero cut the communication with Katase, and activated his radio, "All Black Knights! Follow all instructions and we will be victorious! The moment we surround Cornelia, I will fight her myself, but until then we will show them the strength of the Black Knights!"

All the members found their anxiety fade at the sound of their leader's confidence. All members found a new resolve, and readied their counterattack.

"Princess! We have confirmation of various Burais attacking our forces!"

Cornelia listened to her subordinate's quick report, "So they intend to use the confusion as their time to attack. Was this landslide their doing?" She couldn't help but scowl at the IFF map. Half her men were taken by the landslide, and she had yet to hear from Darlton.

"Emergency communication from Carius Unit!" The sudden voice startled her.

"What's wrong?!" She inquired

"A new unit of enemies appeared from the summit, but they weren't part of the Japan Liberation Front! Carius unit identified them as the Black Knights!"

Cornelia's blood ran cold when she heard this, "Then that mean…Zero."

Jeremiah Gottwald heard this communication and his smile grew, "Zero! I can finally prove myself!" He then sped off into battle.

"Lord Jeremiah wait!" Villetta shouted.

"Villetta this is our chance for victory!" Jeremiah replied as he drove into battle.

She waited a few seconds before following him. Kewell did the same before speeding off as well.

Zero led a group of Burais into battle, "Cornelia has limited reinforcements, so now is our chance! We'll break through any resistance we meet, but leave her and her guard to me!"

"Right! We'll deal with the Sutherlands!" The two Burais at his sides understood. They met Sutherlands and rapidly disposed of them.

Meanwhile Inoue was leading the ground forces, "Our job is to pave the way for Zero! So let's not fall back!" She shouted. Her forces fired upon unaware Britannian troops. Their weapons hit their marks, and completely wiped out the unit.

As Jeremiah drove his Sutherland through the forest he watches as the Carius Unit disappear from the IFF map.

"Carius unit was taken out? If I can defeat Zero's forces before they reach Princess Cornelia then maybe I can redeem my status!" He shouted determined.

" _How does it feel Cornelia? My strategies will bring me victory."_

As he sped through the forest, the two Burais beside his were struck and the cockpits ejected. He faced the enemy and found three Sutherlands staring at him.

[Die with honor! You terrorists!] The leading Sutherland proclaimed.

Lelouch recognized that pompous voice, [Jeremiah Gottwald? You're still in the army? If only we had time to speak, but I have far more important things to deal with, my dear Orange.]

Jeremiah listened from within his cockpit, and his face could only be described as one of pure hatred, "ORANGE?! I'll kill you!" Without thinking he charged at Zero's Burai ignoring Villetta's pleas. His Sutherland was stopped midway by Kallen's Guren which swiftly disarmed Jeremiah. His Sutherland faced the Guren with its tonfas ready.

"Lord Jeremiah!" Villetta shouted.

"Villetta stay out of this! I'll find this interloper!" The former margrave demanded.

"But we've never seen a knightmare like that before! Is it possible the Elevens invented a new knightmare?" She added.

Jeremiah watched the crimson machine warily, "Do you really think Elevens are capable of creating this?" He told her before attacking the Guren. His counterpart guarded effortlessly, and dodged Jeremiah's attacks before leaping into the air.

"It's fast!" Jeremiah said as the knightmare came back down and charged him. He was easily pinned against its blade. _"Could this be what took out Carius' unit?"_ He thought.

Inside the Guren's cockpit, Kallen snarled at Jeremiah, "You see this Britannia! We aren't as weak as you think, and with this Guren Mark II we'll finally fight you head on!" Kallen moved the Guren's right arm toward the pinned Sutherland.

Jeremiah saw this and backed up, "Whatever is in that arm, I can avoid by keeping my distance." He ingenious plan crumbled as the clawed arm extended and latched onto the Sutherland's head.

Kallen quickly flipped a switch, "I'm sorry." She calmly said as she activated the radiant wave surger. In seconds Jeremiah's Sutherland seemed to bubble up, and Jeremiah's cockpit was forced to eject as the knightmare burst. The Guren arm latched back into place as fire surrounded it, "With the Guren Mark II, I won't lose!"

Villetta and Kewell watched in incredulous awe, "She defeated Jeremiah…who are these Black Knights? Who are these warriors?" Villetta wondered in astonishment.

Lelouch sneered, "Kallen is truly a magnificent pilot, and with this the conditions are cleared. The pieces are positioned, and all that is left is to check my opponent's stronghold. Prepare yourself Cornelia for the demon is coming."

"What do our loses look like?!" Darlton shouted. He along with his son Claudio S. Darlton managed to escape the wave of dirt and stone.

"We aren't sure Sir, but so far we read signals from 20% of our forces."

Darlton's eyes widened, "Only 20%?! Our command structure won't hold!"

"This is Marceau unit! I can't contact General Alex! The second division was completely wiped out!"

"Mr. Lloyd, what is going on?" Suzaku asked.

"It seems this landslide is rather unnatural, and there are unconfirmed reports that the Black Knights have appeared." Lloyd told him. Suzaku's features hardened.

"Zero is here."

"It seems that way. If things keep being the way they are then we may get out turn."

Suzaku stared stunned at his superior, "But, Zero…he can potentially destroy the Lancelot."

"Suzaku is right, sending in the Lancelot is completely reckless!" Cecile chastised.

"That may be, but Cornelia assigned me to investigate Zero's armor, so sending in the Lancelot will be the best way to acquire data. In addition, we've reinforced the Lancelot's core so Zero's EMP will not affect it." Lloyd explained.

Cecile looked at him with a disapproving expression, "Even then Suzaku shouldn't be used as bait."

"I doubt Zero will go toward the Lancelot, but we are getting ahead of ourselves. Until we get orders, we can do nothing but wait."

Kewell Soresi attempted to damage the Guren, but found himself hopeless, "How can I lose to an Eleven?! I'm a proud Britannian!" he shouted angrily as his cockpit's ejection system refused to work. The Sutherland then exploded

Villetta watched Kewell's knightmare disappear in a ball of fire, "Sir Kewell!"

Zero pressed his Burai forward, "Good job, Guren, head to you designated area, just like we've planned. The remaining forces stay with me and push towards Cornelia!"

"Right!" Kallen replied as the Guren left the group. Three Burais remained behind Zero's as they went further into the forest.

Villetta backed her knightmare up, and stood her Sutherland defensively. Two other Sutherlands arrived and joined her in defending the position. They opened fire upon the oncoming Burais managing to hit the one piloted by Sugiyama. The battle continued throughout the mountain side and both sides were losing members in battle, but the Britannians were quickly diminishing as the JLF and Black Knights hounded them without pity.

" _Yes…fight, and you will succeed. Live and you will become true warriors!"_

"The Purebloods have entered the fight and are holding them off momentarily!"

"Really?! Who is leading them?"

"Lady Villetta has taken command!"

"Then this is our chance! Bring the Viceroy back here! Send in the air support!"

Euphemia stood staring at the map in front of her, but her mind was elsewhere, _"Lelouch…did Zero somehow cause this landslide? Is this why you wanted the civilians evacuated?"_ Euphemia noticed how the landslide made it into the city and luckily Jeremiah and his team managed to evacuate every in time, but she still couldn't help but grow more and more worried. Movement on the map caught her eye, "Wait! Something's approaching the viceroy from behind!"

* * *

"All units ready?"

"Yes sir!"

"All right. Deploy the Burai Customs! Let's move out!"

Two heavily armed vans drove through the forest when their tops opened revealing five modified knightmares, "The landslide was clearly man made! We can use this chance to capture Cornelia! We'll repay her for what happened 7 years ago!" Tohdoh commanded assertively.

The Four Holy Swords were an elite team of Japanese soldiers under the direct leadership of Kyoshiro Tohdoh. The four consisted of Nagisa Chiba, Shogo Asahina, Ryoga Senba, and Kosetsu Urabe.

"Yes, sir! By the honor of the Four Holy Swords we shall triumph!" The four members yelled. Five Burai Kai's readied themselves to enter the fray before jumping of the moving vans.

It was sudden and unexpected, and they seemed to come out of nowhere. Tohdoh led the attack on Cornelia and the forces guarding her. He used his Burai's katen Yaibatou to cut through the first Sutherland he saw then effortlessly cut down another.

Guilford was the first to notice the newcomers, "Guard her Princess!" He ordered.

Cornelia watched as four more Burais appeared and joined the first, "The Japan Liberation Front?!"

They opened fire on the oncoming forces, but their shots were meaningless as Tohdoh easily maneuvered around them, "Slash and Encircle Formation!" He ordered.

"Wilco!"

Sutherlands were cut through without hesitation as Tohdoh and his team continued moving forward, "Don't assume these are just any Burais." The Lieutenant Colonel commented.

The bespectacled member of the Four Holy Swords could only smile, "This feels a lot like 7 years ago."

The only female member of the Holy Swords, Chiba, seemed to finish his thought, "Except this time we have knightmares as well!"

Guilford was the first knight to attack, "Highness, leave them to us! Please withdraw for now!" He said before his lance made contact with Tohdoh's sword.

Cornelia could see how anything she did would only hinder her knight, "Very well, once you fight them off meet me at point 9. I have an idea on how to turn this around."

"Point 9? Understood!" He acknowledged before Cornelia sped off.

Zero sat patiently in his Burai along with two others.

"Zero! Why aren't we doing anything?!" One of them asked.

Villetta and other Purebloods managed to pin them behind some boulders for the passed few minutes, and Zero's subordinates were growing restless.

"We must wait for Kallen to get into position." He calmly replied.

"Zero! They're saying Cornelia is under attack from behind!"

Lelouch's eyes widened at the new information, "What?! I gave no such order!"

"It's not ours! It looks like the JLF!"

Lelouch went from shocked to furious very quickly, "Did they betray me? Are they going against our deal?" He pressed a plethora of buttons which connected him to the JLF base.

Inside the command center, Katase and his team were ecstatic to see Tohdoh appear on screen, "Sorry we're late, General."

Katase felt relieved, "Tohdoh! We've waited for you!"

Tohdoh nodded in understanding, "Sir! Send all forces to my position! The Four Holy Knights are currently fighting Cornelia's Royal Guard, and if I hurry I can capture Cornelia herself!"

Katase then realized he hadn't informed Tohdoh of his alliance with Zero, but before he could relay the information, said figure appeared on the screen, "I am very disappointed General Katase. I thought you would honor our deal." Zero's robotic and disapproving voice resonated over the video communication.

As Zero stared at his screen, eyeing the JLF command center another feed suddenly appeared on his monitor and his eyes widened, _"Tohdoh-sensei…I see, now I understand."_

"Zero, this is a misunderstanding!" Katase exclaimed.

"General what is going on? Why is Zero here?" Tohdoh demanded answered.

"Please Lt. Colonel Tohdoh, I apologize for my hostility." Zero started, "As to why I am here, I came to General Katase bearing news on this attack. He and I formed an alliance in which the Black Knights would aid the Japan Liberation Front in this battle against Cornelia under one condition." Zero explained.

Tohdoh's eyes narrowed, "What was the condition?"

Katase took this as his cue to talk, "Well, he asked that if we manage to beat Cornelia, she be handed over to him."

"I felt that was a reasonable demand, and not 'if', but when we capture Cornelia." Zero said.

"Will you kill her, like you killed Clovis?" Tohdoh asked out of curiosity more than anything.

"Well that is something I shall keep to myself for now. I ask you to deal with Cornelia's royal guard, is that a fair request?" Zero stated ambiguously.

Tohdoh eyed him suspiciously before nodding, "Very well, we'll listen to your demands." With that Tohdoh ended the call to refocus on the battle. He reengaged his battle with Guilford. He skillfully met the knight blow for blow.

" _I heard of an Eleven with the abilities of a knight, but this…could this be the infamous Tohdoh of Miracles?"_

"Dammit! These terrorists seem to have gotten a second wind!" Dartlon shouted as another Sutherland was taken out by turret fire. The main base was right in front of them, but they were sitting ducks as they attempted to gain ground.

The scarred man snarled, "All men fall back! We have to regroup with Princess Cornelia!" He ordered.

"But sir, the enemy base is right in front of us! If we turn to retreat we'll recieve several damages of enemy fire!"

Darlton proceeded to growl at the inept subordinate, "You fool! If we lose Princess Cornelia then the entire battle is lost!"

"Yes my lord!"

Darlton subordinates weren't able to do much as a rocket impacted the unstable ground below them causing it to crumble.

"Sub-Viceroy Euphemia, we must charge in with G-1 to save the viceroy!"

"No!" Euphemia denied.

"But, Sub-Viceroy with Lord Guilford pinned, Viceroy Cornelia is all alone out there! She is in imminent danger!"

"I know but we have to remain here with the field hospital and the evacuated civilians! Besides this G-1 represents the main headquarters, so if it were to be destroyed then the battle will be lost! The Viceroy ordered me not to move it no matter what happens…" Euphemia stared helplessly at the IFF display, unsure what do to. Then the world shine upon her in the form of a green eyed Eleven.

A small screen appeared on the IFF map revealing Suzaku, Lloyd and Cecile.

"Hello! Advanced Special-Envoy Engineering Corps. Ready for orders!" Lloyd said cheerily.

The commanders at Euphemia's sides grew angry, "How dare you! You irregulars should remain silent!"

"Well sir, normally we would, but we've grown rather bored simply sitting around doing nothing." Lloyd's smile never left his face.

"Sub-Viceroy Euphemia," Suzaku spoke gaining the pinkette's attention, "I beg of you, please order us into combat!"

Again the commanders scoffed, "How daring! You simply want the glory of rescuing the viceroy! Know your place Eleven! As if your machine can do much to change an entire battle!"

"What's the harm in trying? If we fail as you claim then that will only prove your judgement is the best." Lloyd commented happily.

"Are you mocking us?!"

As Lloyd annoyed the commanders, Suzaku mouthed one word, 'Euphy'. For some reason Euphemia found herself suddenly taken by the boy, "Understood. Please do it. Send the Lancelot into battle."

Lloyd closed in on the camera in excitement, "Thank you so much!"

Suzaku stared directly at Euphemia, "I swear! I will protect Cornelia!"

Back with Tohdoh and the Holy Swords. He and Guilford kept matching each other in a fluent dance to the death. No matter what Tohdoh tried he could get and opening, and the same was for Guilford.

"He is good!" Tohdoh explained as he rebounded after Guilford guarded against his attack. Guilford took this time to throw up a Chaos Mine. Tohdoh wasted no time as he saw the deadly weapon fly into the sky, "Everyone scatter!" He ordered as the mine fired. Luckily the Holy Sword evaded on time.

"Colonel! Is it really a good idea to side with Zero?" Chiba advised.

"If Zero is the man I think he is then he'll capture Cornelia, and honestly I doubt anything we do to her will compare to what the demon has in store. All we can do now is trust him!" Tohdoh retorted.

Said man was still pinned behind rocks, Villetta's forces hadn't stopped firing on the boulders yet Zero sat patiently waiting. He eyed the map when finally the time came.

"Alright men, I'll be going!" He announced as his Burai came out of the cover.

Villetta and her men aimed at the Burai and opened fire, but before they shredded it the bullets stops.

Villetta's eyes widened and time slowed down. Without thinking she pulled her eject just as the bullets were sent hurling back at them. Her allies were immediately destroyed as her cockpit flew upward, but it wasn't fast enough and one of the bullets hit the parachute systems. She was sent off into the distance and was thrashed inside the cockpit as it crashed through various branches. Then it hit the ground with such force it sent her forward causing her to smash her head on the glass monitor. Now she sat unconscious in her opened cockpit bleeding from here head, and suffering various sprains and fractures.

Lelouch witnessed his power's doings from his Burai before turning and speeding off leaving his two companions to fend off other Sutherlands which were arriving.

Guilford fought tirelessly against Tohdoh, "Dammit! At this point I won't be able to get to Point 9!" He pressed his lance harder against Tohdoh's spinning sword. He watched the IFF map eyeing the point which Cornelia was probably waiting. His eyes widened when he noticed another unit moving toward her, "Which unit is heading toward Princess Cornelia!" He shouted over the radio, making sure to connect it to all units.

"Lord Guilford, we are pinned by the Black Knights and the JLF, so we can't rendezvous at her location! Which ever unit is heading toward her it's not us!"

Horror dawned of the knight, "Princess Cornelia!" He shouted.

Said Princess replied quietly, "I hear you, Guilford." In front of her stood a crimson knightmare. They both stood in between mountains, in a natural trench.

"Advanced prototype weapon Z-01 Lancelot, you will use sand boards to climb the liquefied slope at maximum combat speed. Rescue the viceroy!"

"Understood, my lord!"

The Lancelot spread its legs and slightly crouched ready to take off.

"Suzaku, there's one thing I wish to ask you." Lloyd's image appeared on Suzaku's screen.

"What is it sir?" He asked.

"You hate having people die more than anything yet have you ever put some thought into your own wellbeing?" The scientist inquired.

"The moment I joined the military, I was ready to die, and now is no different." Suzaku replied determined.

Lloyd simply smiled at him, "Alright then! Good luck! I'm sure you'll need it!" Before the call was cut off Suzaku watched as Cecile comically grabbed Lloyd by the collar and yanked him off screen.

Suzaku took a deep breath and let it out, "Lancelot, launching!"

* * *

Kallen stared at the Gloucester in front of her in anger before charging, "CORNELIA!" Was her battle cry as she went in for an attack.

"You low scum!" Cornelia responded as she lunged at the knightmare. The Guren easily dodged, but missed its opponent due to Cornelia used her harken to latch onto the cliff.

"That isn't just a customized Sutherland, is it?" She stated rhetorically. A beeping drew her attention and she quickly allowed her Gloucester to fall back to the floor. She turned her view to face a new Burai which stood on the right cliff.

Zero sat in the cockpit, and activated the Burai speakers, [We meet once again Cornelia…I will make this simple; surrender and you will not be harmed.] He stated.

Cornelia remained unmoving, [Zero! As if you can make demands!]

[I missed you too, and I am not sure if your viewer is working correctly, but in this situation I have every right to make demands! Now surrender now, and maybe you won't have to face me.]

Cornelia remained silent, _"That demon! Even with only two of them I feel completely surrounded. But I cannot allow myself to be taken, and I will not tarnish my honor by surrendering."_ She made her decision and then impaled her lance into the ground. She stood her Gloucester straight and confidently.

[You are a fool, Zero, if you think I would willingly surrender! I will fight you if that is your wish!] Cornelia yelled.

[Then you leave me no choice. Q-1 leave! This fight is between Cornelia and I! Head to the rendezvous point! Help anyone along the way!] Zero declared as he placed an earpiece on his ear and synced it to the channel which the Black Knights and JLF were communicating with. Then he reactivated his helmet, and opened his cockpit.

"Understood Zero." Kallen voice rang in his ear. The Guren then jumped out of the colossal trench leaving only Cornelia and Zero.

[Is it wise to disband your subordinate?] Cornelia asked.

"If you think you can escape then you have forgotten what I can do!" Zero exclaimed as he stood atop his knightmare. Cornelia could only scowl at Zero's proclamation for she knew what he said was true.

The Royal Guard were backed up against themselves, their reinforcement were quickly disposed of by the Holy Swords.

"Colonel all reinforcements were eliminated!" Asahina stated.

"Good! Team, switch to rotating absolute power formation!" Tohdoh ordered.

"Wilco!"

Guilford sat in his cockpit staring at his screen helplessly, "No…the Princess, if we don't get to her soon…she'll."

"Gilbert."

His Princess' voice caught his attention, "Guilford, my knight…I leave Euphy in your hands. Please take care of her. Please keep her safe."

Guilford couldn't believe what he was hearing, "Your Highness!"

"I refused to surrender, so Zero is to face me himself…I will keep my pride intact…as an imperial princess I will fight! Even if it means my death!" Cornelia proclaimed with pride.

Guilford's eyes widened in realization, "Princess Cornelia don't! Please retreat!"

"I will try, my knight, but we both know it will be futile…" Then the line was cut leaving Guilford in despair.

Cornelia gazed at Zero who now stood atop his knightmare, "Surrender!" He shouted.

Cornelia merely growled, [I would rather die!]

"Then so be it…" Zero stated solemnly as he jumped off his Burai and landed in the trench a few yards away from Cornelia's knightmare. Cornelia then raised her gun and fired off a rocket. The hit its target creating a plume of smoke. Cornelia wasted no time, and turned her knightmare around. Her Gloucester's spinners kicked up dirt as they spun at full power. She then took of moving away from Zero. She only retracted a few feet before her knightmare's sudden screeching stop jolted her forward.

She regained herself and attempted to move the knightmare again, but nothing she did would move the weapon, "Is this Zero's EMP?!" She shouted before her cockpit was forcefully opened.

A few yards away Zero held out his hand which now sported the 'DOM' symbol. He forced the Gloucester to its knees, and bent the torso as far back before dismantling the cockpit. The pit seemed fall apart which sent Cornelia tumbling out. She rolled on the ground before coming to a halt, she stayed kneeling as Zero slowly walked toward her.

"This is your own fault…If you surrendered this wou—" Zero's monologue was caught off when a giant white and golden foot crushed him. Cornelia stared shocked as Zero was buried under the Lancelot's foot. She was left in further shock when the Lancelot swept her from her position.

[Forgive me Princess!] Suzaku shouted over the Lancelot's speakers as the Lancelot jumped into the air with Cornelia in its left hand.

Zero pushed himself out of the ground. He was forced through it by the Lancelot's several tons, and now he attempted to pull himself out, _"Damn that knightmare!"_ He thought as he freed his right leg. That is when he finally looked up to see the Lancelot in midair. Underneath his mask Lelouch's face contorted in one of shock and anger.

"Impact rail set to anti-material level 8! Burst Mode activated!" Suzaku aimed the VARIS down at Zero. The Lancelot held the giant gun in its right hand while Cornelia was positioned in his left. The Lancelot was a few yards above ground which gave it a perfect view of its target.

"Firing VARIS!" Suzaku shouted as he pulled the trigger. Cornelia instinctively covered her head as the weapon fired a green sphere of pure energy. The sphere travelled at unparalleled speeds, giving Zero no chance to evade, but in the split second before it hit, Zero cried out in anger.

"DAMN YOU SUZAKU!"

Then a light green explosion shook the mountain.


	5. A Very Frightening Crossroad

**A/N: Another chapter. Hope you like it. Thanks for the follows, favorites, and reviews.**

* * *

"A direct hit!" Cecile shouted gleefully.

Lloyd's smile soon faded when he noticed something from the Lancelot's video feed, "Warrant Officer, charge another shot!" He ordered.

Cecile turned to him, "Lloyd, shouldn't he focus on getting the Viceroy back?"

"Call it intuition, but I think we've merely angered the beast."

Kallen drove her Guren through forest, she was nearing the rendezvous point, and had yet to hear from Zero. Her trek halted when she felt the ground shake. She turned towards Zero's direction only to see a bright green followed by a fiery eruption.

From the G-1 Euphemia watched the Lancelot's live feed intently.

Suzaku checked on the princess who was still in the Lancelot's left hand. Assuring her safety he refocused on the explosion. A dark black cloud rose from where Zero was, blocking any view of the black knight. "Warrant Officer, charge another shot!" Lloyd's commanding tone was unnerving, and Suzaku was going to ask what he meant before he felt the Lancelot jolt violently. His right arm was being pulled by an invisible force, or more specifically, the VARIS seemed to be drawn toward the plume of smoke. Suzaku kept the Lancelot's grip tight around the VARIS, but his efforts were for naught as the gun was ripped apart due to the extensive force.

"What was that?" He asked not sure of what he saw. Then another jolt came, and this time it was as though something had grabbed the Lancelot's legs. Suzaku foresaw what was about to happen so he quickly placed his now free hand over Princess Cornelia creating a sort of barrier around her [Brace!] he shouted over the speakers before the Lancelot was sent plummeting. Suzaku made sure to keep the Princess within both hands as he violently crashed into the ground.

In G-1 the commander barked orders, "Get reinforcements there now!"

"We can't the Black Knights and JLF are pinning any units we have!"

"Then send in the air forces!"

Euphemia anxiously watched the static clear from the Lancelot's feed.

Suzaku opened his eyes, and shook any dizziness away, "What…the Princess!" He remembered the woman in the Lancelot's hands. The static from his view cleared and he quickly checked woman in the Lancelot's palms. For a second, Suzaku feared he had failed, but Cornelia's movement reassured him. He releases a sigh before activating the Lancelot's speakers [Viceroy! Are you alright?!].

Cornelia slightly flinched at the sudden shout, "Other than a broken arm, I'm fine." She replied, emphasizing her statement by clutching her injured arm.

As the dust cleared, one would see how the Lancelot was almost lying on its back, propped up by the cockpit which was up against the soil. The Lancelot lifted itself off the ground, nearly falling over due to a broken spinner.

"Suzaku the right spinner was damaged, so you'll have to return at a slower speed to prevent it from completely breaking." Cecile voice told him.

"Understood! I'll be returning shortly."

"Suzaku Kururugi…"

Everyone watching the Lancelot's feed heard the voice loud and clear. Suzaku quickly turned the Lancelot to get a better view of the enemy.

As the Lancelot focused its view on the cloud, everyone saw him. Zero emerged from the thick, black column of smoke, purple lighting bouncing off his form and sparking periodically. His wings flapped dispersing any dust near him as static violently recoiled off the limbs. Zero's cape could no longer be called such, as it was nothing more than strips of cloth barely hanging on to Zero's armor. He walked with careful steps, and if one looked closely they could see him visibly shaking. Zero staggered and fell to one knee.

"Impossible…he took a VARIS blast and survived." Cecile said shocked.

Lloyd watched the feed, "Not without taking damage."

Lelouch faced the ground as he kneeled, _"Get up…get up dammit! I cannot fail this time…but my skin is searing! It's like I'm in an oven which resides within a bonfire! I'm not dead thanks to the armor, but it did nothing to ease the initial pain."_ He came out of his thoughts and refocused on the broken Lancelot, before punching the ground, _"That damn machine…the one thing which causes me trouble, piloted by my closest friend. I cannot allow it to leave this battlefield. I must destroy it!_ " Zero pushed himself up, the strips of cloth swaying side to side as he found his footing. The burning was still prominent, but Lelouch felt it slowly subsiding, so he steeled himself and faced the Lancelot. He took one step forward, trying to keep himself upright.

"I will give you one chance, Suzaku Kururugi, hand over Cornelia!" Zero shouted. He struggled to keep his voice from displaying his discomfort.

[I would never do such a thing!]

Suzaku didn't know what to do. There was no way he could get away, and there was no way he could beat Zero. _"What do I do?! Can I call for backup? No, they would never make it time! If I attempt to run, he'll catch up easily!"_ Suzaku sat contemplating before the sound of propellers filled the air. A screeching boom followed and Zero looked up to see a transport jet fly overhead. Directly above him a Sutherland was dropped, and as it fell he held his opened hand over his head in an attempt to stop the falling frame with his magnetism. Nothing happened, and Lelouch found himself panicked.

" _The normal amount of force I use isn't working! Is it a side effect of my damaged armor?"_ He answered his own question when he focused more on the falling frame of metal. It slowed down severely and finally stopped a few feet above Zero's opened palm, _"I don't usually feel the weight of the metal I manipulate, but this is difficult,"_ Lelouch noticed how his hand shook, " _So whenever my armor is damaged, my abilities are stagnated…whatever that gun fired was truly terrifying. Destroying it was the right action."_

As Zero continued holding the Sutherland above him, slightly trembling due to its weight, attack copters surrounded the air above him. Five of them in total they all aimed their guns at injured enemy.

"Warrant Officer! Don't falter, get back here while he is distracted!"

Lloyd's shouted in his ear. Suzaku looked at his monitor before the helicopters unloaded their weapons.

Zero still held his arm over his head as the bullets impacted him. He released a subconscious sigh when the bullets bounced off his armor. He closed his fist, making the Sutherland into a ball of scraps before he sent it toward one of the attacking aircrafts. The helicopter attempted to evade but was too late as the Sutherland turned projectile, barreled through it. A ball of fire erupted in the sky and all the other helicopters quickly left their formation to avoid the debris. This all happened in the span of a few seconds, and Suzaku took the distraction as his cue to retreat, but instead of travelling down the other way, he made the Lancelot jump out of the trench. He landed on one of the cliffs which was at the edge of a thick set of trees.

Zero noticed the Lancelot's retreat and grew furious, "No! You aren't getting away!" His crumbling wings sparked purple when he extended them, and he attempted to take off, but found himself half way in the air before he crashed into rock, _"Dammit, even my flight capabilities are weakened! I'll need them to regenerate so I can get to the cabin."_ He didn't let his lack of flight hold him back, so he pushed himself up the cliff side. He finally reached the top and jumped high, getting a view of the Lancelot.

Suzaku set Cornelia down at the forest entrance [Princess, go!] He shouted. Cornelia still clutched her wounded arm as she looked up at the Lancelot's "eyes".

"You know you can't win." She stated.

[I know, but I can keep him occupied while you escape. Please…leave now and try to find some of our forces, or a place to hide.] Suzaku said.

Cornelia only frowned, "The audacity to order royalty…don't treat me like some woman!"

Suzaku was going retort with a polite yet urgent tone, but the sound of Zero landing stopped him. [Your Highness, go! Zero is injured so I may have a chance to stall his effort]

Zero stood a few feet away from the Lancelot and Cornelia. The Lancelot turned and stood tall and protectively in front of the princess. Zero merely shook his head in disapproval, "If you heeded my warning then we would not be in this position…" He announced.

Suzaku unsheathed both MVS from the mounted scabbard, [I will never surrender her majesty!] His voice resonated over the speakers.

Any form of pain Lelouch felt was nothing more than throbbing as he focused on the knightmare he stood opposite of him, "That is no longer your decision…" Zero exclaimed threateningly. The giant swords activated, a layer of purple energy. Zero heard the helicopters repositioning themselves above him, _"I don't trust my powers right now…I can focus on the four helicopters, but that risks Cornelia getting a chance to escape. Not to mention Suzaku and those weapons he has…if they are the same like the gun then I'll have to be weary…"_ The sound of propellers overtook the opening and the forceful thrashing of wind fluttered his regenerating cape.

" _The moment she starts running, one of the helicopters will leave the group and go to pick her up…my whips are still out of commission, and my flight is stagnated but if my wings are regenerating at the same rate as my armor and cape then they should be ready for flight soon."_ He analyzed the knightmare in front of him finally noticing a spark come from its right landspinner, _"Its damaged as well…from the looks of it, that spinner will not last long in this fight…but with Suzaku's skill the time they last will be enough to keep me at bay. If my metal manipulation wasn't weakened I could probably tear the Lancelot to shreds, but now I can maybe halt it for only a limited time. I can also assume my knightmare control is damaged as well…The odds are against me, but I cannot be discouraged. All I truly need is my flight then I can get to Cornelia, and should I need to I'll take down the helicopters by slamming into them."_

The four helicopters surrounding Zero readied their rockets, and Suzaku readied his Lancelot with the MVS held menacingly. From Zero's view he could see Cornelia, standing behind the 7th generation frame, grudgingly ready to break into a full sprint. They were at a standoff…nobody knew what to expect, and nobody wanted to be the one to kick it off, but it could only last so long.

" _Even without my powers, if I get my hands on Cornelia…all forces will stand down, and the battle will be won."_

The moment Cornelia bolted into the forest, Zero took a step to follow, the helicopters fired all rockets, and Suzaku charged. Eight rockets hit Zero and the area around him causing a fiery explosion to consume him. There was no hesitation as the Lancelot drove into the black cloud.

Zero stood at the center, his vision marred with black but the sudden appearance of a knightmare jarred him from his idle position. The Lancelot's appearance also pushed away smoke, giving both parties a view of each other.

Lelouch barely managed to jump over a side slash from a MVS. His feet didn't hit the ground before the second MVS slammed into his side and sent him out of the plume and crashing through various trees.

The four helicopters aimed their guns at the figure once again. The Lancelot quickly followed, and it jumped out of the smoke.

Zero stood looking back at the trail of broken trees his body left. He looked up and saw the Lancelot holding one of its swords held forward in a lunge. Quickly thinking Lelouch formed a small magnetic bubble around his body. The MVS made contact with the invisible barrier. It was a small magnetic sphere around Zero at most a meter in diameter and nearly seven feet in height, but even though he focused on putting all his power into it, his weakened state caused the bubble to be weak as well. The MVS did not rebound as anticipated, but stopped seemingly in midair.

Suzaku felt the vibration of the MVS hitting the magnetic barrier, and slightly jolted in his seat, "What the?!"

"Warrant Officer! It is probably his magnetism! If Zero can truly manipulate magnetic fields then it would be impossible to break through the field he created!" Lloyd informed the pilot.

"Is there a way to break it?" Suzaku asked.

"This isn't like the Blaze Luminous, but you can keep him there until the princess is rescued." Lloyd explained.

Suzaku nodded in silent understanding before raising the other MVS at bringing it down. Again the force of crashing into the invisible bubble was like attempting to stab a monolith of diamond.

Zero took this moment of pause to look over at the four helicopters, noticing how one was finally breaking away to go pick up Cornelia. Another thing he noticed was how the remaining three aimed their guns at Zero, which also meant they aimed their guns at the Lancelot.

Zero looked back at the Lancelot which had widen its stance and still had both swords pressing down on the magnetic field. It was clear Suzaku was preparing for any opening Zero makes, and should he choose to retreat, the Lancelot would strike him down. But should Lelouch do nothing then Suzaku would be in the line of fire once the copter began shooting.

The widened stance also left a gap between the Lancelot's legs, so Zero determined his escape plan. Zero's sudden change in posture alerted Suzaku, but he had no time to attack as Zero bolted out of the bubble, destroying it in the process. The Lancelot staggered at the sudden removal of the invisible wall, but Suzaku recovered quickly at turned toward Zero. His adversary sprouted two metallic wings, and Suzaku instantly knew Zero was going to take off. The pilot didn't hesitate, and took off at full speed.

Zero took to the sky; aimed at reaching the helicopter which parted from the others, and made it only two yards off the ground before a great force hit his back.

The Lancelot put all its force into bringing its right sword down Zero, not hesitating to bury him into the gravel below. He skillfully flipped the left MVS so the blade faced downward and lunged. Lucky for Zero he had recovered soon enough to shift to the left, narrowly missing the MVS blade, but Suzaku foresaw this move and quickly went to stab the demon. This time, Zero failed to evade, so he simply crossed his arms in a guarding manner. The sword made impact with his forearms forcing him further into the ground.

Zero was officially restrained, and he couldn't help but curse his best friend, _"Suzaku you bastard! I cannot let it end this way!"_

[Surrender Zero! Stop this killing!] Suzaku's voice resonated over the Lancelot's speakers. Lelouch's anger reached new heights, " **You damn idiot!** Open your eyes!"

Suzaku was taken back by the venom in Zero's voice. Even though they were enemies, Zero was always calm when speaking to Suzaku. Even when he raised his voice it was also calm and calculating…but this was something Suzaku had never heard from the masked adversary.

"If I surrender, the Black Knights would be slaughtered! There would be no mercy! No prisoners! Just carnage!" Zero shouted.

Suzaku regained his cool, [You are to blame! You chose to go against Britannia with violence and terrorism! Surrender! You have lost!]

Zero didn't reply, _"It seems like I have…NO! I will not lose! I cannot lose! The Black Knights entrusted me with their lives…I promised victory…I promised a miracle…I promised her a wish…"_ Lelouch attempted to push against the force the Lancelot was applying, but its grip did not falter.

" _This cursed knightmare…if it didn't exist then everything would go according to plan! I must destroy it! I MUST DESTROY THE LANCELOT!"_ Lelouch's eyes went dull and his mind blanked. The bird sigil in his left eye glowed brightly. Then a second sigil appeared, identical to the first, but now situated in Lelouch's right eye, making both eyes glow a horrific crimson.

A shift in the air was all the warning Suzaku got before his knightmare was pushed back skidding to a stop a few feet away. Suzaku skillfully stabilized the frame, but staggered due to the damaged landspinner. He was reckless when attacking Zero and now the spinner was completely broken. The Lancelot was now kneeling as it faced Zero.

Erratic sparks bounced off and around Zero as he stood. Suzaku eyed his monitor, a sudden sense of dread overcoming him before Zero's armor was overtaken by violet circuits. Suzaku thought his eyes were playing tricks on him when he saw Zero's armor lift before blinding light forced him to shield his eyes.

* * *

Cornelia ran through the thick flora, jumping over logs, ducking under branches. She kept moving, ignoring the sounds of battle coming from behind her. She did not know how much time passed since she left the Lancelot to face Zero, but she felt as if she ran miles since starting. The fact that one of her ankles was stinging uncontrollably didn't help either. She finally stopped to catch her breath, using a tree to support herself. She could still hear the faint sound of battle off in the distance. The cacophony merging into one continuous noise. She breathed heavily and as she caught her breath the incoming sound of a propeller caught her attention, "So the Eleven was able to hold off Zero…" She watched the copter fly nearer, and calmly waved to gain its attention.

The pilot spotted her at flew the aircraft closer to the injured princess, but the moment it was over her, a stream of blue light stabbed through her rescuers. The helicopter was nothing more than a charred hull when it fell to the ground causing a secondary explosion to erupt. Cornelia managed to duck away from the falling wreckage. She looked towards the crashed vehicle, noticing how fire surrounded the burned copter frame. The fuel had caught fire, and the flames spread across the foliage.

"What…what was that?"

Cornelia's shock was shared by the Lancelot's pilot. Suzaku stared at his screen in utter bafflement.

"Warrant Officer…is what you see the same as our view?" Lloyd befuddled voice came over the radio.

It took a second for Suzaku to answer, "Depends…do you see a knightmare?"

"Yes."

Standing before the Lancelot was an obsidian knightmare with golden lining parts of the legs, arms, and torso. In contrast to the rest of the knightmare, the cockpit was red, and sported what seemed like four wings, two on each side.

 **(A/N I am sure some of you are wondering, "What the fuck is happening?!", but it is true. In the manga** _ **Nightmare of Nunnally**_ **, along with all the other abilities the armor grants, Zero can summon a knightmare. No I do not deceive you. It happens in chapter 19ish on page 17ish of the** _ **Nightmare of Nunnally**_ **manga. In the manga he summons the Gawain, but I dislike the Gawain so I made him summon the Shinkiro.)**

Suzaku suddenly felt the need to escape, but with one of his spinners out of commission, it would be impossible to get even a few feet away, so he simply watched in awe.

Lloyd and Cecile watched the live footage in equal shock, "Lloyd how is this possible? That knightmare…it came out of nowhere." She looked over at him.

Lloyd was staring at the screen with every possible theory going through his mind, _"Is it some sort of orbital launch…no even with terminal velocity we would have detected it, and the area would be destroyed from the landing. Then…teleportation? No that is far too ridiculous, even with Rakshata's intellect, that technology is years off. Some sort of camouflage system? Such a system is theorized in the homeland, but so far only synthetic material for combat suits was created, and even then it was in very early stages. Then again…that was two years ago and I haven't heard much since…I'll have to speak with Mariel."_

The new knightmare stared at the Lancelot then it focused its attention on the aircrafts above. It raised both its hands, giving the indication that it would fire harkens, but instead a dark maroon light emitted from underneath its golden hands. Then in a flash of red light two maroon spheres fired out of its wrists, speeding toward the helicopters. The vehicles attempted to avoid the unknown attack, but couldn't match the speed of the strange red energy spheres.

When one made contact with a helicopter, a greater explosion than anticipated erupted. This set off a domino effect as the other copters were engulfed by the ball of fire. The explosion grew, fueled by the other copters which were taken by the explosion. The sky above the Lancelot became nothing more than fire and black smoke.

"What was that?!" Suzaku shouted

Cecile and Lloyd barely saw the attack, "Lloyd…that looked like a VARIS shot."

"Impossible…" Lloyd replied yet he couldn't help but agree with his assistant. He watched the feed as the new knightmare turned to face the Lancelot which mean it also faced the camera. Both Cecile and Lloyd froze at the sudden "eye" contact, noting how the knightmare's face slightly resembled some sort of skull.

Lloyd shook his head, regaining his focus, "Warrant Officer, get out of there." He stated calmly.

"It would be impossible, Lloyd, the right landspinner has malfunctioned." Cecile stated.

"I know…I hoped to reassure the boy." Lloyd's somber tone threw Cecile off, but she then refocused at the task at hand.

"Suzaku is there any way you can get out of there?" Cecile too, was calm.

Suzaku heard the sudden change in tone, and suddenly his heart felt heavy, and an akin sense of fear started partially tightening his chest. "With the broken spinner I would have no chance…" He said.

Lloyd and Cecile looked at each other. Lloyd's expression uncharacteristically gloomy before a smile appeared on his face. One of those false smiles he commonly wore.

"Well then Warrant Officer, continue watching the new knightmare. Who knows if we can analyze it we may have another knightmare for you to pilot. One that Zero won't destroy…" The scientist exclaimed with empty cheer.

"Sir…it's moving." Suzaku grew serious as the knightmare lowered its own set of landspinners. It was going to attack head on, but Suzaku did not let the damaged Lancelot stop him from putting some sort of guard up. He stabbed one of the MVS into the ground and pushed the Lancelot up, using the sword as a makeshift cane. The Lancelot was still, and held the other MVS in front of itself as a form of guard.

Then the new knightmare sped towards it at full speed. Suzaku timed his attack at as his foe neared he put all of the Lancelot's force into swinging the MVS. A shockwave ran through the Lancelot as it made contact, but it didn't hit the black and gold knightmare instead it hit some sort of shield similar to the Blaze Luminous albeit multiple, pink hexagons joined together.

"Now a Blaze Luminous?! It's like the Lancelot!" Cecile exclaimed.

Lloyd's eyes narrowed, "No…it is stronger."

Cecile looked at the man with an incredulous stare, baffled that the proud scientist would blatantly state the superiority of another knightmare, "But how? Who could have made such a powerful defense system?"

Lloyd looked at the woman with a knowing stare which was the only answer she needed, "Rakshata?" She said.

Again Lloyd remained silent before refocusing on the screen, _"Is it Rakshata? That woman is intelligent, as much as I hate to admit, but could she really be capable of creating such a…such a monster? Did she also create Zero's armor? Dammit! The more I see of Zero the more I am intrigued…and the more questions are raised. If she truly created that armor then why is it in Area 11? It should be somewhere in India, or even Area 18. What would she gain from sending it to Area 11? Does she support Zero? Or did he simply buy it off her? If then…just who is Zero to have that kind of money?"_

"Lloydn something's happening!" Cecile alerted tone brought him out his thoughts. He quickly refocused on the screens before him only to see black.

"What? What happened to the feed?" He asked.

"It's the knightmare, sir! It's grabbed the Lancelot!" Suzaku answered. Since the Lancelot had literally no effect on the black knightmare, it was helpless as it lunged and took a hold of the Lancelot's head. It grip tightened around the metallic head, denting it under the pressure.

"The frontal view is completely covered, I can't see anything." Suzaku stated.

The black knightmare continued to apply pressure before pulling the head off and tossing it aside. The Lancelot's head landed only a few feet away; sparking and dented.

"My view is completely gone! Only the side views are active!" Suzaku shouted before the cockpit shook violently. He looked up took see golden claws puncture the cockpit's roof and rip the lid off.

"Suzaku the cockpit is damaged. Are you alright?" Cecile asked worriedly.

"For now…it tore the roof clean off." Suzaku explained.

"Suzaku…" A new voice cut in.

Suzaku instantly recognized it, "Princess Euphemia." He had forgotten the princess was watching the entire scene play out. Luckily the communications array built into the Lancelot had yet to be damaged.

"Please…Suzaku surrender to Zero." Her voice was almost pleading.

"But Princess…"

"That is the only way I will be pleased…I doubt Zero will kill you if you surrender, so please do it. I will order you if I must." Euphemia's tone went from pleading to suddenly commanding. Suzaku's heavy heart suddenly became unbelievably light and warm at the kind girl's worry. Suzaku's face was graced with a small, yet gratifying smile, "Understood, your highness." He went to look up at the opening only to see a giant hand come down on him. He was taken in the knightmare's grasp, letting out a small yelp at the sudden tightening around his body.

"Suzaku what's happening?" Euphemia asked once again worried.

"The knightmare…it has me in its hand." Suzaku was lifted out of the opened cockpit and held closer to the knightmare's frame. The scene was almost comical in the way Suzaku was held, akin to a young child holding a doll. He looked back at the Lancelot only to see his captor pointing its arm at it. Like before, a maroon light appeared under its hand, and then an explosion surrounded the downed knightmare.

The instant the communication were lost, everyone in G-1 feared the worst. Lloyd and Cecile looked at each other, Suzaku's last reply still in their minds. In the command room, Euphemia stared at the giant screen before her, only static appeared from the feed which belongs to the Lancelot. She was silent, every fiber in her body praying that Suzaku was still alive.

As Suzaku's eyes adjusted after the explosion. He took in his surroundings, the first thing he looked to was the Lancelot. His eyes widened when he saw that the Lancelot was no longer there. Instead there were scraps of metal scattered throughout the field. Bigger pieces confirmed that they once belonged to the 7th generation frame, but otherwise the Lancelot was no more.

Along with the remaining shards of metal, there were flames which hadn't died out, and several which had found some brush to ignite. The place was slowly being surround by fire as the forestry was caught it the fire's path. A forest fire was sure to break out. He then felt movement and noticed he was being lowered. He looked toward the black knightmare and noticed how circuits travelled all around its body. His feet finally touched the ground and the grip around him loosened.

His eyes never left the black knightmare because as soon as it released him it started coming apart. Some of it disappeared while other parts were attracted toward the center of the knightmare. It was then he realized the cockpit had come apart and inside he could see a figure. They were dressed in a skin tight, purple body suit which faintly resembled his own pilot uniform. **(A/N Think Zero's costume underneath the cape, minus the elaborate cuffs. Specifically in the first season.)**

It was then, he realized that he was looking at Zero. His eyes focused on the figure's face, but the helmet was already forming around it. At that moment Suzaku could have sworn he saw familiar black locks, but dismissed it as his eyes playing tricks. Then he saw it, the remaining metal from the black knightmare latched onto Zero's body which caused more metal to appear, building itself on Zero's arms and legs and body in a flash of violet static electricity. When it finally finished, Suzaku stared at Zero, who stood in full armor minus the cape. And only a moment later the cape manifested itself in its full capacity, seemingly coming from under Zero's shoulder plates. The cape extended until it reached the ground, and shrouded Zero. The final touch was the spiked collar which followed, standing straight as always.

Suzaku couldn't believe it, yet he had witnessed it. It was then an impossible conclusion popped into his mind, Zero's armor had somehow become the knightmare. Zero stood a few feet away from Suzaku, his head tilted downward as if he looked at the floor ahead. Unexpectedly Zero's knees buckled and he landed on the ground with a thud before swaying forward. Zero kept himself from falling over by using his hands.

The blackness slowly faded around Lelouch, and he found himself on his hands and knees facing the ground, _"What…happened?"_ His mind was fuzzy for a few seconds before settling. He remembered being pinned by the Lancelot, and having no way to escape. Everything was blurry afterward, the only thing he remembered was a feeling of helplessness followed by a strong sense of destruction. He cried out and Geass answered, but he didn't know how. He lifted his head to analyze his surrounding, and he was shocked to see flames surrounding him. The area was charred and rundown, unlike earlier, several trees were bursting in flames and crumbling. Then his eyes landed on the crushed head of the Lancelot, _"What happened to the Lancelot...?"_ He looked away from the dented head and focused on the torn metal frame in front of him. It took him a moment to realize what it was since it was covered in ash and strangely ripped. It couldn't really be called a knightmare frame anymore since it was missing all its limbs at had a gaping hole where the torso once was.

It was not completely destroyed so in the bits which were still intact, Lelouch could see the remnants of the dreadful Lancelot. He could see the broken limbs scattered throughout the field in many pieces. The Lancelot was utterly destroyed, the one thing which damaged Zero. The one knightmare which annoyed him to no end was finally out of the way, but Lelouch's mind was not focused on that instead his mind was on its pilot. He looked passed the rubble and fire, expecting to see the scorched remains of his best friend, _"Did I cause this…? What happened to Suzaku? Why can't I remember?!"_ He inspected his armor finally realizing how his cape had grown back to its original state, and his armor no longer sparked randomly.

He pushed himself up, and stood with slightly trembling legs, _"Did I somehow lose control…is that why I don't remember? Did Geass somehow make me go berserk?"_ He thought about it, and it would make sense. Right before his mind went black he felt a great power emerge, as if answering his plea to destroy the enemy before him. That brought another fear filled thought…is the Geass slowly taking over his mind? A sudden shift to his left made Lelouch turn it that direction. There stood the very boy he was thinking of, and a relief washed over him, _"So I didn't kill him…good, I doubt I could ever face Nunnally again if I had killed Suzaku in such a brutal way."_ He faced Suzaku, noticing how his friend stood with confidence, and concealed fear. Zero could see that Suzaku wished to speak, but the Japanese boy seemed to struggle with what to say.

"That armor," Suzaku started, "What is it?"

Zero's slight tilt of the head indicated his confusion so Suzaku elaborated. Once again he struggled to find the right words to say, "I saw what it can do…several times, but today…I finally saw it up close. Whatever that armor is it wasn't…it wasn't made by humans, right?" Suzaku's question sounded very wistful as if he wanted what he accused to be nothing more than the lunacy it was.

Zero remained silent which to Suzaku was a sign that he was right. He momentarily froze unsure what to say next, or how to process the information. For a second he believed himself in a dream, since everything he saw has defied every law known to mankind yet he wasn't sure he was dealing with the natural anymore.

As for Lelouch, he too froze as his mind went over what Suzaku revealed, _"What does he mean?"_ Once again he glanced at the debris littering the area, _"What have I done?"_ He faced Suzaku again, Zero's visor peering into the boy's eyes. He stood at full height allowing the cape to cloak his body from the neck down, giving off a menacing aura, "I am not sure what you mean." Zero stated calmly.

Suzaku's frown deepened, "There is no use denying what I saw Zero. The invulnerability is one thing, the flight another, but creating a knightmare out of nothing is not easily explained by known science. I am not a scientist, but even I know your knightmare creation… breaks the basic laws of mass. That can only mean your armor isn't…natural…none of your abilities are."

Zero was rendered silent as he contemplated his next move, and went over what Suzaku had said, _"Knightmare creation…what exactly happened here? Whatever I did…it must be a new ability…that is the only explanation. But what exactly is this ability…knightmare creation? Does that mean I made a knightmare appear out of nothing…that still does not explain why I cannot remember any of these events?"_

He looked Suzaku over noticing how the pilot appeared tired and startled. He decided to do what he knows best…gamble.

"And what do you intend to do if my abilities are as you claim." Zero questioned.

Suzaku flinched before looking down in clear shame, "Honestly…I do not feel like I can do anything. I want to stop you….to stop all this killing, to bring peace to the people of Japan, but I am far too powerless especially against you. As I stand here, I am nothing more than an ant facing a giant."

Zero then held out his hand, "You are sincere in your goal…you rejected me once…but I will offer again. Join the Black Knights…aid us in our liberation of Japan. With your skills, Britannia will fall."

Suzaku looked down at the opened hand…apparently contemplating the possibility before facing Zero with fierce determination, "I owe you a great debt for saving my life. I will acknowledge the Black Knights and their efforts to bring justice to oppressors, and I know more and more Elevens are supporting you discreetly. Yet I cannot condone your methods. Such blatant and irresponsible use of such power is something I will never accept. The Black Knights think they are helping the Japanese people, but the more you fight the more Britannia will grow tired. It is only a matter of time before they decide to wipe out all the Japanese people."

Zero lowered his hand, having it fall to his side, "Your resolve is endearing, and something which I can respect. But it's a shame…your skills will be wasted with Britannia, but I can see I cannot convince you. I suggest you return to your base…a forest fire is a dangerous thing." Zero turned away from the boy to face the direction in which Cornelia ran off. Lelouch noticed how thick smoke rose from the burning forest, he wondered how Cornelia was faring against the burning trees. He activated his wings and kneeled slightly, preparing to take off into the air.

"Don't do this, Zero." Suzaku's voice stopped him. Zero glanced over shoulder.

"Britannia has lost this battle…retreat the Black Knights and no more people will need to die." Suzaku was nearly begging.

Lelouch actually considered the idea, but he came to Narita for a reason, and he was already too far in to retreat, "It was a privilege to fight against someone so honorable, but I cannot leave. Like you, I too have my resolve."

Suzaku grew desperate, "You will not get away with this Zero…Clovis was one thing, but now everyone knows who will be responsible! This will only lead to more fighting…to more death! Please…do not do this." Even through the vagueness, Zero knew what Suzaku was speaking of. He turned away from the pleading Eleven.

"Once I capture Cornelia, the battle will truly be won. Without your knightmare you are no longer a hindrance…be grateful for my mercy." Without another word, Zero took off toward Cornelia's direction. Zero disappeared behind the thick smoke produced by the ignited forest. Suzaku was left demoralized and defeated.

The forest continued to burn, increasing more and more. The entire side of the mountain, the area where the landside swept through, was burning. For miles around Narita, thick smoke was visible, and it only increased. Cornelia stopped running and was carefully maneuvering through the woods. Her view was increasingly blurred by smoke, and she found breathing was increasingly difficult. The fire was blistering and all moisture was vaporizing faster than she could think. She attempted to radio for assistance, but found her headset wasn't picking up a proper signal. She would occasionally hear voices drowned by static but nothing clear. She finally made it to an opened area at ran to the center, away from the surrounding fire. It was a slight relief but smoke still lingered. The grass below was a bright green indicating it was alive and healthy, which meant it wouldn't catch on fire as easily. She had some time to think before the meadow would be set a flame.

She heard static followed by broken voice come from her earpiece, "Hello! This is Viceroy Cornelia…if any forces hear me respond!" She her faint voices again, but could not make out what they said, "Speak louder! The signal is unstable! If you can hear this, respond loudly!" She ordered. Broken voices sounded as if they were attempting to respond, but the cracking of fire and wood made it difficult to hear the soft voices.

"I hear you loud and clear…Princess."

That voice made her freeze. She knew who it belongs to and cursed the man with every fiber in her body. Without turning, she let out something akin to a growl, "Zero." Her nemesis watched her from a few feet behind her.

"I have come to capture you, Cornelia." Zero stated as a fact.

Cornelia clenched her teeth in anger, and a deep scowl marred her beautiful features. She turned to face the newcomer, finally getting a view of Zero. She noted how he was no longer in shambles like before which made her angrier.

"What makes you think I will comply?" She angrily asked.

Zero began walking toward her which instinctively made her step back, "I wasn't giving you a choice. I am going to capture you with or without your cooperation."

Cornelia glared at him with raw hatred, "You should kill me now, because no matter how much you torture me, I'll never reveal anything," then she unexpected pulled out her personal handgun, "In fact, I would choose this death over the humiliation of being captured!" She aimed the gun to her head ready to pull the trigger. Zero briefly froze before holding out his hand and calling the gun to him. Cornelia managed to fire off a shot before the gun was pulled out of her hand. Zero casually caught the gun before crushing it and tossing it to the side.

"I believe you, and that is an agreeable belief, but my patience is wearing thin." Zero then swiftly wrapped his hand around her throat. He lifted her off the ground, and she savagely kicked at him in an attempt to lessen his grasp. Her attempts were halted as Zero slammed her onto the grassy meadow which completely knocked the wind out of her. Her breathing stagnated and wheezed as she attempted to fill her lungs, but Zero's metallic hand begun constricting her throat after she took in a few breaths. Cornelia pushed against Zero's helmet, but could not move him an inch as he increased the pressure.

"Stop your struggling, for it will only increase your own panicking." Zero warned.

Her vision grew hazier, and a prominent sense of fear caused her heart to beat rapidly. Her kicks slowed and her arms lost all strength. Cornelia's head thudded uncontrollably, and she suddenly found herself feeling numb.

"Do not worry I will postpone your death for now." Cornelia fought unconsciousness for another second, but in the end she was swarmed by darkness. Zero then lifted her over his shoulder.

"The fire is only increasing, Sub-Viceroy we have to pull the G-1 back."

Euphemia heard the officer, and looked back at the display, "Is there any sign of the Lancelot…or the Viceroy?"

The officers quickly glanced at each other, wondering who would break the news. Finally one of them, an older man decided to speak, "Well…Sub-Viceroy, due to the thick smoke it is nearly impossible to see anything on the ground. Not to mention the increasing flames make it difficult to get any forces to search the area. The VTOLs already scouring the area cannot get any closer without risking system malfunctions, but if you'd like we can deploy more to cover a larger perimeter."

Euphemia shook her head, "No, it's alright. I wouldn't want to risk more lives…you can withdraw any aircrafts surrounding the fire." She stated.

The officers nodded at went to perform their duties. As they went to inform the VTOL pilots of their new orders, a window appeared on the display.

"Sub-Viceroy! Zero spotted!"

Euphemia looked to the display which was the live feed from one of the VTOLs. It took a moment for the camera to focus on Zero, but when it did the room was rendered silent. Zero flew outside of the black cloud, and over his shoulder was Cornelia.

"Impossible!"

"Zero captured the Viceroy!"

Voice of disbelief sounded over the command room. Euphemia was in shock as she watched the footage. Zero simply floated with Cornelia over his shoulder, but then to the horror of those watching he gripped the unconscious woman by her neck and held her out for the world to see. Cornelia's flaccid body hung several dozen feet above the ground, Zero's grip around her neck being the only thing keeping her from death.

"We must save the Viceroy!"

"Are you mad?! As long as she's Zero's prisoner, we can't risk any action."

"Then what do we do?"

"Retreat." Everyone turned to Euphemia. She was staring at the screen, her calm demeanor contradicting the serious situation presented, "It is clear Zero is sending a message. Viceroy Cornelia is now in the custody of Zero, and he wants us to know that her life is literally in his hands, so retreat all forces. We cannot risk the life of Viceroy Cornelia any more than we already have, order all troops to return under my direct order." Euphemia's calm behavior was surprising to the others, but they quickly got to work.

On the outside Euphemia seemed calm and collect, but internally was another story, _"Cornelia…please be safe…please don't die. I cannot bare to lose you too."_

* * *

Guilford and the other royal guards continued to fight The Four Holy Swords, ignoring the approaching flames when the order they hoped would never come rang over all their radios.

"All forces fall back to G-1, the battle is lost…Viceroy Cornelia was captured."

Simultaneously, as he flew over the forest after his display of victory, Zero contacted both the Black Knights and JLF, "Attention all forces! I, Zero, have captured Cornelia li Britannia! All Black Knights meet at the rendezvous point. The battle is over…we are victorious."

A wave of silence overtook the mountain when both forces halted any form of advancement. Then a roar of absolute euphoria erupted throughout the mountain side, drowning out the curses of the defeated.

"We did it!"

"I never doubted Zero!"

"So much for "best in Britannia!"

Tamaki sat in his Burai as the praises came over the radio, "That bastard actually did it…"

Kallen remained in her Guren at the rendezvous point. The various voices of joy and triumph resonated within her cockpit. She sat motionless allowing the moment to set in before a smile spread across her face and she joined in the rejoicing, "Who's the weak one now, Britannia!?"

Ohgi sighed in relief when the Sutherlands which had him pinned backed off and left. He held off a few Sutherlands to allow ground troops to retreat and escape the oncoming fire when the announcement came over the radio. Sitting alone he couldn't help but stare at a picture he always carries, "Naoto…if only you were here to see this." After a moment of reminiscing he turned his Burai and headed toward the rendezvous point.

Inside the JLF headquarters, various officers cheered loudly as the statement was heard. Katase himself couldn't help but smile in justified glee before letting out a sigh, "Seems like the Japan Liberation Front will live on." He stated. Then a familiar face appeared on the screen.

"General Katase, that transmission…" Tohdoh said for clarification.

"Yes Tohdoh, it seems Zero succeeded in his plan." Katase calmly specified.

Tohdoh's indifferent face turned curious, "Should we really allow him to take Cornelia? The Black Knights weren't the only ones who lost troops…our own men died today, so shouldn't we be allowed to partake in the interrogation?"

Katase kept himself from raising a brow, it was strange to see Tohdoh ask for something, but he understood the man's claim. Even the wizened General found himself feeling cheated, but pushed those emotions behind him, "Honestly, I feel the same way, but I am a man of my word. The deal was Zero gets Cornelia to himself with no interference, in exchange he and the Black Knights would help the Japan Liberation Front win this battle, and he kept his word. For now we can hope he will get valuable information out of her. If not thatn then his murder of Cornelia will be a victory in itself."

Tohdoh accepted the explanation, "Then what are our orders?"

"Return to the headquarters, we must prepare to evacuate. We might have won the battle but the enemy still knows of our location, so we'll have to abandon this station." Katase said.

Tohdoh nodded, "Understood, General."

On the battlefield Tohdoh gave the order to the Holy Swords, which stopped their fight with the royal guard. They then quickly darted away.

"It seems they got the order to retreat as well…Sir Guilford let us return. Sir Guilford?"

Guilford ignored his fellow guard. He stared at his screen motionless as his hands clenched the handles of his controls. His gloves creased more and more as his grip tightened, and his teeth grinded against each other, "Princess…I am so sorry. I have failed you." He hung his head in absolute shame.

Ohgi's lone Burai traversed through the thick forest without stopping. He left the burning forest behind him, now speeding through a part of the mountain which wasn't caught in the flames yet. As he cleared a group of trees, something caught his eye. "A pilot?" He whispered as he zoomed in on the damaged and opened cockpit. He sat shocked when he noticed it was a woman. Clearly Britannian, her blueish, nearly grey hair was marred by a dark crimson which dripped down her head... Ohgi then felt an odd sense of sympathy for the woman before he shook his head, "What are you thinking Ohgi? She's Britannian…if she was alive she wouldn't hesitate to gun me down." He chastised himself. He took one final look at the fallen pilot, and was about to take off before he noticed her move, "She's alive?!" He questioned disbelievingly. His view was now focused on the ejected cockpit. He found himself strangely glued to his view as if…hoping she would move. Then he sat her face contort in a grimace, probably in pain. Ohgi was left pondering, _"Should I help…no…she's Britannian! But…she is no longer a threat, but what if this is some sort of trap?"_ Ohgi thought over what to do, _"Dammit…I hope Zero doesn't get angry."_

He cautiously moved his Burai forward, anticipating an attack, but nothing came. He warily opened his hatch, still eyeing the Britannian woman. He was lowered to the ground, and simply stood a few feet away from the cockpit, still expecting something to occur. But nothing happened and seconds passed without worry. Ohgi walked toward the cockpit, his nerves growing with each step, _"What the hell am I doing?"_ He thought as he finally reached the opened cockpit.

Up close he could see the gash on the woman's forehead, and he also noticed several other, less severe wounds covering her body. Ohgi caught himself staring at the woman, whose beauty nearly rendered him speechless. Once again he shook his head to clear his mind of such thoughts. The first things he checked was her pulse. Timidly placing his fingers under her chin, he searched for the sign of life. A second passed and he found himself wondering if he had imagined what he saw, but then he felt it. The beating of blood in her artery, and unexpectedly let out a relief sigh. He jolted his arm back when he realized how relieved he was, _"Kami…what am I doing? What will the others say if I show up with a Britannian?"_ He then focused on the woman again, seeing her chest rise and fall gradually before coming to a decision.

* * *

The sun lowered as evening made itself known. If it wasn't for the battle which had occurred not even two hours ago, one might stop and enjoy the lavish mix of colors which covered the sky. The entire forest was shadowed by the sun's lowered position, and soon enough night would overcome the war-torn forest.

Cornelia's head throbbed madly, and she found herself wondering what exactly caused such a splitting headache so early in the morning. She wasn't one to drink, and even when she did they were simple glasses out of obligation, so why was it that she felt as though her head would split open? She felt the warm of light adorn her face, so she attempted to open her eyes only to shut them quickly. She went for a second attempt, much slower, and this time she opened her eyes and realized the light shining on her was not from the lights in her chambers, but the sun's light coming from a small, broken window.

Then she realized this was not a normal situation to be waking up in and she violently woke up, only to wince in pain.

"I suggest you refrain from such drastic movement. I am sure you've a brutal headache, and your arm is far from healing."

A deep, robotic voice caught her attention, so she refocused her sight on wherever it came from. Her eyes landed on a figure sitting cross legged a few feet away from her. In front of the figure was a small coffee table.

Cornelia wondered if she was dreaming before her eyes finally focused to the dimly lit area in front of her, and she remembered everything. The JLF, Narita, landslide, Black Knights, Zero. She jolted again in attempt to stand, seeing as she was clearly in danger, but she was brought down by another pain erupting from her ankle. She fell back down, and instead of hitting the coarse floor she found herself landing comfortably on a leather recliner.

"I believe your ankle is sprained, so don't put too much pressure on it. I am no doctor, but I tried my best with your arm sling, and the wrapping around your head." Zero told her as he continued to face what Cornelia made out to be a book in his hands.

Cornelia then realized her left arm was in a sling. It was roughly made, but it alleviated some pain from her fragmented bone. Even then she could feel a faint pain coming from that arm and was stingily grateful for the comfortable furniture. Cornelia eyed her surroundings, coming to terms with the idea that she was captured. She noticed how she was not tied to anything, or restrained in any form, but quickly dismissed such foolish thoughts when she remembers what Zero can do. With a broken arm, injured head, and seemingly sprained ankle there is nothing she could hope to accomplice if she tried to escape.

The light coming from the broken window gave her an idea as to how long it had been since she was captured. It seemed the sun was close to setting which meant she was unconscious for more than an hour, possibly even two. She also noticed her location which seemed to be in a cabin of sort, rundown and decaying as evident by the broken window, and crumbling chimney. This contradicted the seat which she sat in as it didn't seem old which meant it was placed in the cabin for specifically this purpose. When she focused on Zero once again, she saw that he sat on an ordinary wooden chair which was dented and scratched which meant it was in the cabin for some time. She attempted to read what was on the cover of Zero's book, but the sunlight hitting her eyes obscured her vision, and her headache didn't help either. When she finished her observation she sat back in the chair, again realizing how comfortable it was. She dismissed such strange feeling of bliss as her own fatigue getting to her.

She waited patiently for Zero to do something, anything or to at least comment on how he had won or how he would torture her until she gave him information, but nothing came. Seconds became minutes, to the point where she could see the shadows shifting slightly as the sun lowered further passed the horizon. Zero leisurely sat in his wooden chair, reading whatever it was that kept him so interested. A few more minutes and the sun duck behind a mountain, finally removing the obstacle which blinded Cornelia. As her vision focused, Zero closed his book and placed it on the table, leaving its cover out of Cornelia's sight.

" 'One general law'," So the demon speaks, " 'leading to the advancement of all organic beings, namely, multiply, vary, let the strongest live and the weakest die' –Charles Darwin." Zero stood from his chair and faced Cornelia, "I am sure you are rather familiar with that specific line, Viceroy."

Cornelia took Zero's pause as her cue to speak, "Is there a point to your nonsensical jabbering, or do you intend to kill me with philosophy?"

A low rumbling came from Zero's helmet, she quickly determined he was chuckling. It wasn't a chuckle one releases after hearing something amusing, but one that sounded condescending, as if what she said was amusing due to its absurdity. His patronizing infuriated her, and Zero caught on. That bastard.

"No need to grow angry, Princess, I just find what you said witty." Zero stated innocently.

Cornelia scowled, "Enough! If you captured me simply to scoff then kill me now. As I said earlier, nothing you can do will make me speak."

Zero stopped chuckling and simply stared at her sitting form. Before Cornelia knew what happened, the recliner was swept from underneath her and she barely managed to stay on her feet. She fell to a crouching position due to the pain from her ankle. She looked back to see the couch which was now upside down and against the wall. She heard the wooden floor creak, and quickly turned only to see herself in Zero's visor. He then grabbed her face with his hand, forcing her to face him, "You are far too prideful, Princess. Has it ever crossed your mind that it can lead to your demise?" He stated, any form of humor having completely disappeared.

Cornelia remained expressionless as Zero stared her down, "That is rather hypocritical."

Zero held her face, and stared deep into her indigo pupils before releasing her. He stood and walked back to the chair and table. Cornelia noticed how his formerly destroyed cape was no longer simple rags. It swiftly swished with Zero's moving form, keeping him completely covered.

She saw him nonchalantly swipe his hand forward. She heard the recliner behind her move, and turned to see it back in its original position. She faced Zero once again and saw him moving the wooden chair closer to her before he sat.

Lelouch put the sudden act to the back of his mind, determined to question C.C. about his sporadic… "Bipolarity" for lack of a better term. He held out his arm and motioned towards the seat behind her, "I apologize for losing my temper. Let us be civilized, please take a seat…I assume you can do so without aid." He lowered his hand and position it in his lap before crossing his legs.

Cornelia scoffed at his comment, "Do not treat me like a damn invalid!" She used her good hand to grip onto the recliner and pushed herself up before falling into the (comfortable) seat. She inconspicuously adjusted herself to find the most assertive (comfortable) seating position.

"Such malice when speaking of the weak. I cannot blame you given your upbringing, you are what the perfect Darwinist would want. But has it finally dawned on you that you are now the weak, and your forces have given up on you?" Zero stated.

Cornelia looked at him with a cold glare which revealed nothing in terms of her thoughts and emotions, "They would have every right after all what type of leader would allow such a humiliating defeat."

Zero slightly tilted his head, "That is an interesting view, but you cannot allow your outdated opinions on life cloud a basic judgement in battle."

Again she scoffed, "Do not compare me to you terrorists. To us Britannians, loss is nothing more than a disgraceful act."

Zero let out a huff, "Then you are a disgrace because today you lost, and even worse you were captured. Tell me, how is it like being a captive? Is it frustrating? Condescending? Does it make your skin crawl?"

Cornelia remained expressionless, but Zero noticed it, although faint, the very subtle change in her posture and mood. "What is this? Is this your version of an interrogation? Attempting to belittle your captive, is this how you torment your prisoners. At least have the decency to properly torture me, and if you do not aim to interrogate me then stop wasting my time and kill me. Your chatter will only continue to fall on deaf ears."

Zero didn't respond, leaving a fuming woman to sit in the recliner. A few, agonizingly slow seconds passed before he stood and stepped over to the table. His back was to her now so she couldn't tell what he was doing. He seemed to be rummaging through the book, and then he turned with what she assumed was a photograph in his hand. He was looking at it as he walked over to her before outstretching his hand. He held it out waiting for her to take it, she merely glanced at it not paying attention to what was illustrated. She stared at the purple visor and after seconds of staring at Zero, she used her good arm to grab the item.

"That is an example of Britannia's ideologies in play. Only the strong survive, right?" She watched as Zero sat back down before focusing on the photo. It took her a moment to realize what was on the photo, but when her eyes landed on two of the children depicted, her cool mask fell apart.

The picture was a pleasant one, showing three children together. The child on the left wore a nervous smile as he held onto the second child's, a girl in a wheel chair, hand. Cornelia noted that the first greatly resembled Suzaku Kururugi. It was the other two children who truly caught her attention. The young girl in the wheel chair held onto the second boy's arm as he pouted. These two resembled the siblings she had lost long ago, she would recognize Nunnally's sandy brown hair and gentle features anywhere, and Lelouch's raven hair which was identical to his mother's, along with his violet eyes which he received from their father, distinguished him from all her siblings. Cornelia could only stare at the photo, her mouth slightly agape as she gently held the photo.

"You seem rather moved. I would even go as far as to say concerned."

Lelouch was caught off by the look in Cornelia's eyes when he faced him. For some reason he could only describe it as despair, "Where…where did you get this?"

"Does that really matter?"

"Stop toying with me! How is it you have this!?"

Lelouch was again surprised by the raw emotion in her voice, "I must admit, this is not what I expected."

It was Cornelia's turn to be confused.

"Your reaction to a picture of the deceased Lelouch and Nunnally vi Britannia is not at all what I anticipated. In fact I pictured your reaction would be the complete opposite." Zero explained.

"What are you saying?" Cornelia's voice turned cold as if daring Zero to continue.

"Simple…I never pictured the Goddess of Victory, one of Britannia's strongest, and the epitome of Darwinism, would care about two dead and feeble children." Lelouch felt his blood run cold. He watched Cornelia, and couldn't see her face due to her hair.

"Zero," Cornelia looked up, and her face held pure rage, "You can ridicule me all you want, but don't you dare mock my siblings."

On the outside Zero made no move, but inside Lelouch felt his heart beating rapidly, _"Cornelia you are still as terrifying as back then, but I have yet to truly anger you."_

"Why?" Lelouch suddenly felt himself dreading his plan when she somehow made direct eye contact with him, but he did not halt, "Lelouch and Nunnally vi Britannia were exiled after the murder of Lady Marianne. The emperor himself proclaimed their triviality and purposely sent them to Japan as pawns, so by Britannian logic they were no longer the fittest thus they would not survive."

Cornelia looked at Zero, baffled by the man's knowledge. Lelouch denouncing his claim to the throne was kept between the courts by her father's order. The public didn't know of Lelouch and Nunnally's "trip" to Japan until after the invasion when the emperor publicly announced their deaths at the hands of the Elevens.

"How do you know that!?" She shouted but Zero ignored her as he continued berating her.

"You condemn my hypocrisy when you are just as deceitful. You know Lelouch and Nunnally were no longer royals, and the moment they were sent to Japan, their role could only be that of disposable tools! If you truly cared about them, then why didn't you aid them! Admit it was because you believed them weaklings!" Zero's raised voice resonated throughout the darkening cabin. Lelouch felt his anger rising as he recalled the events of his banishment, and how that **bastard** treated Nunnally.

"You're wrong…" Cornelia looked at the purple visor, her grip around the photo never lessening.

"You wanted an interrogation then tell me why you abandoned them! Why did you leave them to be nothing more than fodder for Britannia!?" Lelouch let out more emotion then he intended, and even stood up subconsciously.

Cornelia came to her senses, and realized Zero's curiosity was far from normal.

"Why does it matter to you?! How do you know all of this!? Just who the hell are you?!" Cornelia turned the questioning towards her captor.

Zero stood unmoving, "Answer me, **Viceroy**."

"Not until you answer _me_ , **Demon**." Cornelia retorted not at all intimidated by the man in front of her. By now she was standing as well; her face was about two feet away from Zero's helmet, and she ignored the pain coming from her ankle.

They scowled at each other, neither breaking their gaze in this competition of will.

Lelouch looked at his sister with a frown, _"Cunning woman…should I really do this? I could easily lie like with Euphemia and the others, but she is clearly determined to stay silent. If this does not go as I hope, then I will be forced to use the backup plan."_

Zero took a step back, his legs touching the base of his chair, "Very well, Cornelia, but know what happens next will stay here whether you agree or not." Zero's helmet was then separated by various dark purple circuits splitting it into several parts. In a flare of purple circuits, and static electricity the panels which made up the helmet split. Starting in the direct center of the helmet, the panels floated apart and backwards before disappearing all together leaving Zero's face revealed to the Viceroy of Area 11.

The same black hair, albeit a bit shorter, the same violet irises, but the joyful, slightly arrogant face she remembered was replaced with a brooding, frowning teenager who stared at her through his locks. Cornelia's fingers lost their grip and the picture floated to the ground, and she merely gawked at him.

Various emotions swirled within her, starting with joy of seeing her half-brother alive and well, followed by a disbelieving astonishment at the thought of her loving, harmless brother being Zero. The same Lelouch who doted on his sister, Nunnally, like it was the only thing he knew, then a sense of foreign dread entered her body as she thought of the frail and disabled girl. Finally her heart felt heavy, and she was overcome with grief at the prospect of her brother living without his cherished sister. All these emotions were shown with her frozen, gaping face as she found that her voice was somehow disabled.

Lelouch looked straight into her eyes, "Hello…sister."

* * *

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Tamaki shouted.

Ohgi stood looking slightly ashamed of his actions before he faced his friend, "I couldn't just leave her there. It would be only a matter of time before she was swarmed by flames."

"You sure as hell can! She's Britannian! We shouldn't be wasting any medical supplies on her! Do you think she would have done the same?!" Tamaki asked.

Ohgi went to speak before looking down, silently answering Tamaki's question, "See! You know she would leave without batting an eyelash if it was you or any of us!"

The remaining Black Knights returned to the meeting point which was a meadow hidden by cliffs, and far from the part which was on fire. When it came to the forces they lost, the numbers were surprisingly low which made the victory feel much more triumphant. Tamaki and Kallen were the first "founding members" to greet the ground forces. Tamaki basked in the limelight as his fellow knights cheered in joy at their victory. Soon enough Inoue and Sugiyama arrived followed by Minami and Yoshida. Their mini celebration was cut short when Ohgi arrived and revealed his "captive". Tamaki was the first to confront while Ohgi carried the woman to the medic. He made sure she was treated, and made sure the Black Knights medic did as such, then continued to argue with Tamaki.

Ohgi grew angry, "Then what would be the entire point of the Black Knights! Remember what Zero said, we are no longer terrorists! Even if she is the enemy then we would treat her like an enemy of war, and at least bandage her wounds! It's too late now anyway, we've already used supplies on her! Besides it's not like you have final say, so until Zero gets back she stays."

Tamaki and Ohgi glared at each other for a few seconds. The others watched waiting to see if they would come to blows, but Tamaki simply huffed in annoyance, "Fine! But if this comes back and fucks us then we'll know who to blame!"

"Technically we are fucked since Zero abducted a princess." Sugiyama added secondhandedly.

Ohgi watched the two walk away and sighed, "Don't worry Ohgi, we could use her for information." Kallen attempted to make him feel better.

Ohgi sighed again, "That's what I'm afraid of." He mumbled.

* * *

There was no doubt. The teenager in front of her was in fact Lelouch vi Britannia, the exiled prince, and he was also Zero. Yet Cornelia found herself not caring about his status as the self-proclaimed demon, for she was staring at her brother who she thought had died seven years ago. Logic also seemed to enter her mind as she thought of Zero's mannerisms. Fighting for the weak against those who oppressed, his clear hatred of Britannia, and his need to keep his identity a secret. It all made sense, in a weird convoluted way, but she found her joy of seeing him alive overcoming her shock of his identity as Zero. Her glare softened and she showed an abnormal expression of friendliness, "So you are alive…your questions make more sense now."

Lelouch displayed no emotion, "Having Zero ask personal questions was probably disconcerting, but I had to know what you thought of Nunnally and me after all these years."

A frown graced Cornelia's features, "It saddens me that you think I would ever forget about you…Nunnally is she…?" Cornelia was frightened to ask a question, the worst case flooding her mind. A faint smile appeared on his features for a split second as he thought of his sister.

"Nunnally is fine…she's is still the kind girl you remember, and I can't help it…after the war we were left alone, left to fend for ourselves." Lelouch reassured.

Relief flooded Cornelia when he heard that her half-sister was alive, and still the gentle girl Euphy played with back in Aries Villa. Cornelia dropped into her chair in a huff of relief and astonishment, "This is not at all what I expected…you died seven years ago. Why now? Why didn't you reveal yourself before?"

Lelouch did the same as his sister, and sat down. They stared at each other, the emotional reunion was over, it was time for questioning.

"For someone so smart…you ask the stupidest questions." Lelouch sounded angry, almost resentful. Cornelia was stunned by the sudden change in tone, and she saw a scowl appear on her brother's face, "Why would I ever return to that atrocious place. It's like asking, why I didn't return to a Colosseum full of starving lions. You may think our exile was horrible, but honestly…it was the kindest thing our father did to Nunnally and I. We were made political pawns, but our captors here in Japan treated us more like family than Britannia ever did. As you see in that photo…Suzaku Kururugi lived in the manor we were staying. At first we held a mutual hatred for each other, but soon a friendship blossomed, and to this day he is my best friend. Why we never returned? Simple, we preferred the life in Japan."

Cornelia listened to Lelouch's explanation attentively, "I understand your reasoning, but…you had us, Euphy and I, loved you and Nunnally. Out of all our siblings we cared for you the most." She justified.

Lelouch grew angrier, "Then where were you?! We were exiled, and I didn't see a single sibling attempt to comfort us! If you loved us then why didn't you keep us from leaving? Why weren't you there to see us off? Why did you let my mother die!? You were the head of her security so why was she alone that day? Did you have her killed?!"

Cornelia's eyes widened at the accusation, "No! I would never!"

"Then what happened that day?! Who killed my mother?!" Lelouch demanded an answer.

"I was scared!" Cornelia's sudden proclamation silenced Lelouch. Cornelia looked at him with such desperation, and such self-loathing before slumping in her seat, "I did not help you because I was scared…Lady Marianne, she was my idol. Against all other consorts, our father favored her the most, so as a result she was hated by the others, even my own mother held disdain for her. Yet she proved herself, "Marianne the Flash" the only concubine to become a Knight of Round. She was everything I wanted to be, but when she died my view on the world changed greatly. Distracted by my own grief, I was not there to comfort you and Nunnally…I was focused on finding whoever killed Lady Marianne."

Lelouch listened intently as his sister, the Witch of Britannia, was near tears. This was the first time he saw her break down like this.

"You were not the only one who suspected Lady Marianne was killed by someone within our family, but fear kept me from saying anything. I'm sorry, Lelouch, but I could only think of Euphemia and myself. Then the war started, and I was left to hope that you and Nunnally would survive." She then faced him once again, "I was scared of what our father could do to Euphy and I, and that is why I did not help you…if anything, I ask you to forgive me for being such a coward."

Lelouch was unsure what to say to such sincerity, but it was the confirmation he needed. Calming himself down, he decided to sit back down, and return Cornelia's sincerity with his own, "The life of Britannian royalty is a difficult battle, gladiators in a Colosseum, I cannot condemn your actions. You always did put Euphemia above everyone else, and if I were in your situation I would do the best for Nunnally." He smiled slightly.

"But I still do not understand what happened that day, you were the head of security, so why were you not at her side?" Lelouch questioned.

Cornelia took a contemplated, regretful expression, "I was ordered to shut down the security."

Lelouch raided a brow, "By who? Was it the Emperor?"

Cornelia shook her head, "No, Lady Marianne herself ordered the security to disperse for the day."

Lelouch's eyes widened in surprise, "What? Why would she order that? Unless…is it possible she knew of the assassination?"

"If she knew, then it would be more reasonable to increase the security." Cornelia added.

"Logically speaking, yes, but it's possible she knew and accepted her own fate. If that was the case, she removed the security in an attempt to keep anyone else from being injured, then why was Nunnally with her? Damn it! I thought I would have answers not more questions!" The former prince shouted in frustration. He then faced Cornelia again, "If you had nothing to do with it, then do you know anyone who did? Odysseus? Guinevere? Or was it another consort?"

"Even though I was her head of security, I had little do to with the investigation, but I know Schneizel was the one to remove her body from the palace." Cornelia explained.

Lelouch's features sharpened, "Schneizel…what reason would he need to murder my mother? Unless he was ordered by someone else to do so. Seems like I'll have to find a way to interrogate him."

Cornelia watched as her brother thought over his next move, and the warm dramatic air which was in the cabin faded, replaced by an unsure silence, "Lelouch…what do you plan to do with me, now that I am no longer useful? Will I share the same fate as Clovis?" Her voice was that of an enemy general rather than a loving sister.

Lelouch put his planning aside, and faced her with equal seriousness, "Clovis massacred hundreds of innocent Japanese. If I hadn't gained this power, I would be among them. Maybe I allowed my emotions get the best of me which resulted in the outcome, but I found it the noblest redemption I could grant him. As for you…everyday leading up to this battle, I've gone back in forth on what to do with you, but in the end I decided you are far too important to kill."

Cornelia released a breath she held, but quickly recovered, "You want me to help you with this revolution?"

"Even if you refuse, I will allow you to live out of my love for Euphemia. You are the only thing which keeps Euphemia from being swallowed by Britannian Darwinism. Her pacifistic nature is unfavorable in Britannia, and will only lead to her demise, but it is that which makes her one of the lights in this dark world." Lelouch stated.

Cornelia found pride fill her heart, "Yes…she is rather bright, and no matter how hard I try, I know I am only stalling the inevitable." She stared straight into Lelouch's eyes. He saw raw determination in them.

"If I join you, will you do something for me?" She asked.

"Depends on what it is."

"What you say about Euphemia is true. Her kindness cannot survive in a world ruled by Britannia. If I join you, it will be the highest level of treason, so if I were to be discovered only death will await. If that should happen I want you to protect Euphy. Swear to me that she will remain safe at your side." Cornelia said.

Lelouch nodded in agreement, "I swear, but you need not worry Cornelia, you will remain by Euphemia's side as long as I remain alive. We will create a world where pacifism will not be seen as weakness, and where one's importance will not be defined by their strength."

"It will not be something easily achieved, but that brings up another inquiry. Do you really need my help? I mean, I hadn't mentioned this, but your…magical suit of armor seems to be enough to take down entire armies." Cornelia stated.

Lelouch then deactivated his Geass, causing the heavy armor which protected him to disappear, leaving Cornelia in a somewhat shocked yet curious position. Underneath the armor, Lelouch wore a simple white dress shirt, with some black trousers, "If I were to do that then I would be no different than Britannia. Already I preach words of justice and anti-oppression yet this power is what allows me to go against the dictator which is our father."

"Given what I just saw, my assumption in that armor being…supernatural was correct. If Asplund ever got his hands on you, he'd have a field day." Cornelia commented with a humorous undertone.

"You do not seem so surprised." Lelouch added.

Cornelia merely shrugged, "I guess you can say I expected this, as unbelievable as it is, it was the only explanation."

It was Lelouch's turn to be confused, "You mean you suspected my armor to be something supernatural? Here I thought you were always one of logic and reason." He commented with his own underlying humor.

"I am under normal circumstances, but when Zero appeared months ago, I had to delve into a more ludicrous way of thinking. Yes all my researchers came up with the best hypotheses, but it still was not enough. I wanted facts not theories. I also never thought you would be one for theatrics, "demon king" is a rather frivolous title." Cornelia's teasing smile suddenly made an uncommon feeling of embarrassment swell within Lelouch.

" _God…if she and C.C. ever met, I'm sure they'll tease me to death."_ He thought miserably before speaking, "It was a spur of the moment. I did discover I could fly with this ability, so maybe I allowed such childish flamboyancy take hold of me."

"But how exactly did you come across such unmeasurable power?" Cornelia asked.

Lelouch took a moment to notice how the room was growing darker and darker. The day was over, and he hadn't brought any light sources since he believed the meeting would pass much quicker than it has, "I apologize, sister but that is a tale for another time. Night is upon us, and I need to return you to your forces, as long as the deal between us still stands." By now Lelouch stood from his chair. Cornelia merely nodded.

"I've already gone this far…and as long as you keep your promise then yes, our alliance still stands. But returning me to my men like this will only arouse suspicion." Cornelia remained seated, and closed her eyes in silent thought before opening them to face him, "You'll have to hurt me to lessen the suspicion." She stated without batting an eyelid.

Lelouch didn't suspect the sudden request, but soon nodded in understanding, "That would be the best…I am sure they expect me to torture you, but I do not think breaking several bones is the way to go."

Cornelia eyed him with an almost disproving look, "We are now allies, but that does not mean you must be a coward. Here I thought Zero was a man of justice, and willing to do anything if it would bring about a better world."

"I do like to think myself as so, but I do not intend to leave you paralyzed, simply to lessen suspicion. Yet that does not mean, I do not have something in mind." Lelouch stated ambiguously as he walked away from her. He walked over to the wood table which resided in the room, and crouched down to pull something out from underneath. It was a small case from what Cornelia could see, the darkening room didn't help.

"When I said, you reaction was unexpected, I was not lying. I expected you to be angry and disgusted with me; I honestly thought you would refuse to reveal anything about what happened nearly a decade ago, so in that event, I planned to use this." He unlocked the briefcase in an almost ominous manner, and opened it. Even in the increasing darkness, Cornelia could make out what was within the case.

"Refrain." She calmly said as Lelouch removed the syringe and vial.

"I'm sure you know what this does to people, and how it was commonly used by Britannian for interrogations before it became a way for them to destroy a population over time. I planned to use this on you, and hoped that in your euphoric state, you would answer my questions. Obviously I did not need this, but it can be a solution to our problem." Lelouch looked over to his sister, expecting an unsure reaction, but he was again silenced as he watched his sister unbutton her right sleeve (slightly struggling due to her injured arm). When she was finished her sleeve was undone, and slightly pushed upward exposing her wrist.

"Well then…don't stand there gawking like a fool. Get on with it." She said.

"I'm sorry…I expected you to at least question the effects of refrain or make a comment on how using refrain is a clever plan, since you would never consciously reveal any secrets." He replied.

She slightly scoffed at that, "Don't flatter yourself, I know what results from using too much refrain, but I expect you know as well. Since you already stated you never intended to kill me, I doubt you'll inject me with a big enough dosage to keep me mute and paralyzed for life. Doing so would only guarantee, Euphy and I be thrown out by Britannia."

Lelouch couldn't help chuckle, "Of course, sorry for assuming. This dose of refrain should hospitalize you for a week, two at most, but knowing you, I doubt you'll allow yourself to remain in such a state." He walked over to her, and kneeled, Refrain in hand.

"I'll wait until you lose consciousness to return you. Now then…let us get this over with." Lelouch readied the device in his hand, and was about to inject into Cornelia's arm, before he remembered something, "I almost forgot…if you wish to contact me, ask Euphemia."

Cornelia grew confused, "You've spoken with Euphemia?"

"During the hostage incident, I gave her a secured cellphone to call me with. She does not know I am Zero, so I've only spoken to her as Lelouch." He explained.

"So you lied to her about your relation with Zero." It was more of a statement than an inquiry.

"I told her, I was a financial supporter of the Black Knights. To say she was concerned and angry would be an understatement."

"I wonder how she'll react to knowing your real identity." Cornelia noticed how Lelouch froze at that.

"Don't be such a coward. We are now allies, so we must confide in each other which mean when I tell her about you being Zero, _you'll_ explain how you ended up with your power."

Lelouch fought the urge to role his eyes which caught him off guard. Already his sister was lecturing him, and he was responding how any younger brother would. Annoyance.

"Yeah, yeah, I understand. Jeez, we've only just reunited and you are already scorning me." He said in a unexpectedly casual manner.

"It isn't my fault, my long lost brother is rather vague in terms of what the hell he's done for seven years." Cornelia retorted.

"We can continue this later. Just speak to Euphemia about contacting me, what you tell her, I'll be ready to explain." Lelouch ended the derailing conversation with that. He then looked to Cornelia who merely nodded in confirmation before he injected the refrain into her system.

The effects were rather quick, and Cornelia's eyes hazed over. For half an hour Lelouch watched as his sister looked the happiest she's been in a very long time. She seemed to be reliving a memory from their time at Aries Villa. She would frequently call for Euphemia, or Nunnally, and sometimes even him. It actually warmed Lelouch to see her in such a state, and it also saddened him to know how the years have hardened the kind sister he grew up with. Then it shifted to Cornelia having a conversation with Lady Marianne. It was mumbled so Lelouch could not really tell what she said, but it proved to him that Cornelia truly held his mother in high regard. Soon enough the effects wore off, and Cornelia was drained of energy. She passed out in her chair, and soon was in a deep slumber.

Lelouch activated his Geass, having the armor engulf him again. He walked over to his sleeping, exhausted sister, and gently picked her up. He placed one arm under her legs while the other supported her back. He walked out of the run-down cabin, bringing Cornelia closer when he noticed the decreasing temperature made visible by the increasing winds and elevation. He felt her shiver slightly before he activated his wings. Again holding her closer and firmer he took off into the sky.

* * *

Night descended on the Narita Mountains, and with that a mountains typical weather. Those at the base of the mountain were not as effected by colder weather, but higher up in elevation where the Black Knights resided, the wind was blowing, creating a very chilly atmosphere.

The younger recruits started fires, and were cooking up the rations they brought with them. At one point someone took out sake which caused a party to break out. Though the officers had to contain it after the younger members (and Tamaki) were getting a little too drunk to function. They were still on the battlefield after all, and they need lookouts in case the enemy attempted an attack. That was another thing, the Britannian Forces completely moved into the city at the base of the mountain, but did not leave instead they seemed to be fighting the fire which broke out, trying their best to keep it contained.

Ohgi watched from within the cabin which was once a JLF lookout, but after General Katase ordered for the JLF to relocate, the Black Knights were allowed to take over the mountain outpost. He let out a sigh. The reason for his distress, the amnesiac whom currently rested in a cot at the center of the cabin.

The woman he found injured woke up momentarily which allowed them to question her, but that proved futile. She couldn't remember who she was, what she was doing or what happened. The field medic diagnosed amnesia (as if they need the confirmation), and after confirming the woman did not have a serious concussion he told her to rest which she easily agreed to after becoming light-headed.

He looked back at the woman, and then at the other occupants of the cabin. Kallen and Minami were casually playing a game of 'Go' while Sugiyama and Inoue were drinking (moderately of course). Yoshida and Tamaki were still outside surrounded by the younger members who watched Tamaki in awe, as he retold his "heroic" tales.

Ohgi's view from the window he looked out of was a beautiful mountain range, and in the distance a soft orange glow emitted due to the dying forest fire.

"It's Zero!" He heard coming from outside. Everyone within the cabin froze and looked at each other to confirm if what they hear was right before running outside. When they made it outside, they had to push through a crowd of rejoicing Black Knights in order to get a view of their leader. Ohgi broke through the crowd which was clapping and yelling words of praise to Zero who watched them nonchalantly. After a few seconds of cacophony, Zero raised his hand to calm the crowd. Every quieted soon after.

"I thank you for the praise, but I am not the only one who fought in this battle. All of you risked your lives, and sadly some of our own did not return today. So do not praise me, praise them for sacrificing themselves so our ideals can survive." He proclaimed.

"Zero, we need to talk." Ohgi walked up to the cloaked figure.

Zero could hear the urgency in Ohgi's voice, but before he could reply, Tamaki stumbled forward. From underneath his helmet, Lelouch raised a brow. He noticed how several members were red faced, and slurring. Seems like they got tired of waiting for him.

"Don't…listen to *hic* him…Zero. He *hic* is out…of his mind." Tamaki managed to get out as he leaned on Zero, as if they were old friends.

"It seems you've celebrated without me. I thought I said to leave the alcohol back at our base." Zero said, not being entirely serious.

Tamaki let out a squawk of a laugh, "Come on *hic* Zero! We…had to celebrate! *Hic* we defeated the Witch of Britannia!" His exclamation resulted in another roar from the crowd.

Lelouch fought back a chuckle before turning to Ohgi, "You wanted to talk, Ohgi." He said to the former teacher.

"Yeah, but…can we do it in private." Ohgi lowered voice caught Zero's attention. Again Tamaki decided to interrupt.

"Why do you need to talk in private *hic*, we all know about her!" He said.

Lelouch grew slightly annoyed at the drunk man before focusing all his attention on Ohgi, "What is he talking about Ohgi?" Zero asked sternly.

Ohgi was taken back by Zero's sudden harshness, but Kallen quickly stepped in to save him, "We have a prisoner, a Britannian knight, and Ohgi's the one who caught her." She explained.

Zero looked at both at them, "Is there more to this?"

They looked at each other before Ohgi decided to answer, "I found her injured and unconscious in the forest, so I brought her here to be healed. We didn't waste many supplies, and I'll somehow make up for those we did use." Ohgi defended his actions, and Zero quickly stopped him before Ohgi continued his excuses.

"You do not need to defend yourself. Just tell me why you did it."

Ohgi was quiet, thinking over how to respond. One part of him wanted to lie, to say he thought capturing her would be beneficial for the Black Knights, but another part, the part which believed in Zero's ideals, wished to tell the truth. He finally decided, and let out a hefty sigh.

"I found her unconscious in her knightmare cockpit. She was injured and the forest fire was quickly surrounded her, so I saved her. Honestly I had no intention of keeping her as a prisoner. I just would not feel right if let her die when I could've done something." He explained.

Zero was silent before he lay a hand on Ohgi's shoulder, "You did the right thing, Ohgi. Though I don't think we actually need a prisoner. Take me to her, so I may question her."

"You won't have any luck in an interrogation." Kallen added. Zero then faced her signaling her to continue, "She doesn't remember anything. She seems to have amnesia." She informed him.

Zero nodded in understanding before facing the crowd again, "Doctor Iki." He called, and waited for the Black Knights medic to appear. He was an older man, mid-fifties, but looked older due to the stress of the unfortunate events which befell him during the war. He was the head of his own hospital back before Britannia took over, and even had a wife and daughter whom were sadly killed. Even then, he prefaced his introduction by saying he would not fight and kill like the others, and would only work as the order's medic. Like most doctors, he was not one to discriminate. To him a patient is a patient no matter who they may be.

"Doctor, is this true?" Zero asked.

The elder nodded in confirmation, "From what I could tell she has selective amnesia. She does not remember who she is, where she is, what she was doing or why she is injured. Nor did she know who you are or what the Black Knights are; she couldn't even name the Britannian emperor."

Zero nodded, "Very well. Everyone prepare for departure we leave in fifteen minutes! Those who are sober, make sure to keep those who aren't away from the knightmares. We wouldn't want to break the gracious gifts given to us by Kyoto, so get to it! Senior officers, join me in the cabin. We shall discuss what to do with our prisoner in private."

The senior officer which consisted of the former resistance cell members nodded and followed him into the wooden home. Once inside, Zero took noticed of the sleeping woman in the cot, and he stopped. _"That woman…yes, I know her. She is part of the Pureblood faction. She was also one of the knights leading Suzaku's execution."_ Lelouch thought as he grabbed a wooden chair and silently sat in it.

The others in the room which were made up of, Ohgi, Kallen, Minami, Inoue, Sugiyama, and Yoshida stood in front of him.

"So before I decide, any of you have an idea on what to do with her?" He asked.

Ohgi spoke first, "If she has amnesia then she won't be a risk to us. I think we should return her to the Britannians."

Minami followed, "I agree with Ohgi. Interrogating her won't do us any good, and we shouldn't waste any more supplies on an enemy."

"She doesn't even remember her own identity, so she isn't really our enemy anymore." Inoue added.

"But even Doctor Iki said her amnesia could be temporary, and there is no knowing when it will wear off." Kallen countered.

"Until that happens she is nothing more than a helpless woman, so we should treat her like a civilian. I believe returning her would be the best choice." Yoshida said.

"Yoshida's right. Even though she is Britannian she is no longer a threat, so we should get her out of all our hair, and give her back." Sugiyama seconded.

With their ideas presented they all turned to Zero who would have the final word. He sat, with one leg over the other, and quietly contemplated before speaking, "I agree with treating her as a civilian, but we shall not return her." This shocked the members. Ohgi suddenly felt a small amount of dread wash over him.

Zero noticed their reactions and quickly spoke to calm them, "Do not worry, I only have her well being in mind. This woman is a knight of Britannia, and a member of the Purebloods. Something which is drowned by Britannia's unparalleled racism, is their blatant sexism. Unless born into the royal family, most woman are considered far inferior in Britannian society. Woman have to work twice as hard to prove themselves, and I'm sure this woman is no different, honestly I have respect for her. To have made it this far without allowing constant berating from Britannia, the country she would gladly die for, put her down is praise worthy. Endurance and perseverance, two very things which describe everyone in this room. So if we were to send her back, with amnesia which has rendered her useless in Britannian terms since she cannot fight for them and die for them, she'll be thrown aside and forgotten. I could think of nothing crueler."

The fellow members found themselves stunned. Neither had thought of Britannia in such a way. To them Britannia was the enemy, that was it. No questions asked. They did not think of what happened within Britannia, or how "Noble" Britannians treat "common" Britannians. To them they were all racist, snobs who lived in absolute paradise. But now…they didn't know what to think. They began fighting Britannia out of hatred, and since they genuinely had nothing to lose (so they thought), but now as crazy as it seems, they found themselves actually sympathizing with a Britannian. One who, only a few hours ago, possibly attempted to kill them?

Zero broke the stunned silence, "I have made my decision. We shall keep her with us, not with the Black Knights no, but with one of us, and I think Ohgi is the best choice."

Everyone nodded in agreement, and even Ohgi was nodding before he realized what Zero had said, "Wait, I can't take her in." He said with the faintest of blushes on his cheeks.

"Oh please, Ohgi, you are a grown man. One of the reasons I chose you is because I know I can trust you with her care. Unless you cannot control your…urges." Zero explained.

"No...I understand, but I live in a neighborhood designated for honorary Britannians. I don't think they'll take kindly to having a Britannian live in the last place they can call home." Ohgi stated still slightly flustered.

Zero thought for a moment, "You'll have to keep her inside. Explain to her why she mustn't go outside. If she grows restless, we can always dye her hair, use contacts, and give her a new identity. She must also be under surveillance, in case she suddenly regains her memories. We do not want to put you in danger." He explained.

"But I thought she wasn't a prisoner." Ohgi said.

"Don't worry, you'll simply have to keep an eye on her. We'll have Doctor Iki check on her every now and then, but otherwise she can live a normal life." Zero corrected.

Ohgi thought it over momentarily before nodding, "Alright. I'll do my best."

Seeing as there were no objections, Zero continued with the next subject, "Now with that settled, I am sure all of you wish to know what I did with the Viceroy." Seeing how they all stiffed and grew more attentive was the only answer Zero needed.

"Well, I won't beat around the bush. I did not kill her, in fact I did the exact opposite. As of today, Cornelia li Britannia is on our side." To say they accepted the information would be a lie. Possibly the biggest lie he ever told. His senior officers shouted angrily at him, questioning him, and accusing him of betrayal. Zero sat calmly with one leg over the other, and casually laying his arms on the chair's arm rests. He expected the angry voices to die down, but they continued, and his standard steadfast patience abnormally waned. Another accusatory shout, followed by an aberrant insult seemed to be the breaking point.

" **Enough**!" With a rare display of pure anger, Zero slammed his fist down on the wooden armrest, shattering the wooden furniture. He then quickly stood before the chair lost its balanced and fell in a broken heap. The other occupants in the room froze at their leader's display, and defensively took a step back. Fear and anxiety was written all over their faces. Lelouch seemed to take hold of himself again, and he glanced back at the broken chair. Again he seemed to have lost control of his own body, due to his emotions getting the best of him. He took a deep breath, and faced the frightened officers, "I apologize…such discomposure is not suited for a leader." He slightly bowed his head, "Please, calm yourselves. We are all comrades here." They shifted uncomfortably, but their tension didn't cease.

Zero sighed audibly, "Your sense of betrayal is reasonable, but I assure you, I only have the best intentions in mind."

Kallen spoke first, "Then explain yourself, why did you ally with Cornelia?"

Zero took a few seconds to gather his thoughts, "Remember what I just told you about woman needing to work twice as hard?" They nodded allowing him to continue, "Woman born into the royal family must work even more than that if they wish to seem somewhat significant in the eyes of the Emperor. The royal family in general is one giant gladiator match which determines the children who are weak and those who aren't. Cornelia is no exception, but she does not fight for herself alone. In fact she almost only fights for her sister, the Sub-Viceroy. Whatever your feelings towards Britannia may be, you cannot deny that Euphemia li Britannia is very different from her fellow countrymen. Her pacifism and general kindness would seal her fate without Cornelia keeping her close. Believe me when I say the fate of princesses whom are deemed "weak" is nothing but unfavorable."

"Wait, wait, wait. That doesn't make sense," Inoue started, "If what you are saying is true, then why hasn't the Sub-Viceroy been removed earlier? Even with Cornelia at her side, doesn't the emperor have complete authority on the subject?"

"When I said she is in danger I didn't mean from the emperor." They're confusion signaled Zero to explain further, "The emperor could care less about his children unless they challenge him face on. His children are nothing but pawns to him, and what are pawns to a king? When I said Euphemia was in danger, I meant from her own siblings. In a gladiator match, taking out the weakest opponents is a given, and it is no different with the royal family. Every prince and princess wants the throne, so much so, they are willing to kill their own half-siblings to lessen the competition. That is how and why I allied with Cornelia. Even she knew with all her efforts, it would only be a matter of time before Sub-Viceroy Euphemia was in a horrid "accident", so I appealed to her. I bargained Euphemia's safety in return for her secret support."

"This is crazy! There is no way we can trust her!" Kallen insisted

"Kallen's right, I trust you Zero, but I cannot agree with this course of action. Cornelia isn't known as the Witch of Britannia for nothing." Ohgi added.

Zero faced Kallen who froze under the emotionless helmet, "Kallen, you had an older brother, correct."

Kallen didn't expect the question but nodded lightly.

"I am sure your brother would not hesitate to protect you from all threats. Even if it meant siding with the enemy. When it comes to a bond between siblings, there is nothing stronger. Can we trust Cornelia? Honestly I do not know, but what I do know is that she deeply loves her sister, and that is all we need to reassure ourselves." Zero explained.

"And if you're wrong?" Sugiyama spoke up, "When she betrays us, what then?"

Everyone looked at Zero expectedly, "Then I kill her, and we capture Euphemia."

"But would that really help? Won't Britannia be happy that we rid them of a headache?" Minami said.

"At that point we would have no other choice. Even if I attempted to reason with Euphemia, she'll never hear me since I killed the sibling she cares about the most. That is why we must make this work, and I need your support in this." Zero waited for their answer; the confliction on their faces plain as day.

Sugiyama decided to answer first, "I hate this, and you continue to make decisions before telling any of us. This is meant to be a group effort."

"Sugiyama has a point, Zero, you cannot keep us in the dark any longer. You'll only lose our loyalty." Minami described further.

Kallen followed, "Zero, you've led us further than we could ever imagine, but your secrecy is only causing a drift. We need your word that you'll consult us on further decisions."

"Do you all feel this way?" Zero watched them all nod, "Very well, you have my word."

"I guess this settles it, but you'll also have to tell the others about our alliance with Cornelia." Ohgi mentioned.

"I planned to do so, but we must prepare for the decrease in members. Not all of them will take the news kindly." Zero stated.

"This day turned out much differently from what I imagined." Minami commented with a tired sigh.

"At least we still won." Sugiyama added.

Their meeting was adjourned, and ten minutes passed. Soon they headed back to the Tokyo Settlement, all tired and wanting to take a long rest after the brutal battle. The senior officers didn't know what to expect of the future, but they did know their lives are going to get a lot more interesting. It feels as though everything they've struggled through has let up to this crossroad. Now they weren't sure if the days ahead would be for better…or for worse.

 **The End…maybe.**


	6. What Could Have Been

**PLEASE READ**

 **For those of you who do not know, I stated in the first chapter that I never truly intended to end this story due to my lack of imagination and time. The previous chapter was actually meant to be the last, but I've decided I could not leave you with such a shit ending. Until further notice this chapter is the last chapter. Everything below this message are simple snippets of what was in my mind from the very beginning. A preview if you will.**

 **Also there are probably more mistakes in this chapter due to these beings a collection of several documents I've piled together. Most parts of this chapter were written back before I ever intended to post this story. It was a simple pastime to entertain myself, so they could be considered "notes", I guess. I'm just rambling at this point. Thanks to all readers, and specifically MM Browsing for helping me with their brilliant ideas.**

* * *

"What!? How is this possible?!" Tamaki shouted as he pressed his face against the giant bay window.

"Are those sakuradite mines?" Ohgi asked disbelievingly as he joined Tamaki to look out the window. Realizing how they could see the clouds passing below them.

"We're in the Fuji mines!" Kallen added as she too took in the view coming in.

"How could this be possible? How did we manage to get here?!" Tamaki shouted.

"Believe it or not this has to be the Fuji mines. There is no other mountain like this." Ohgi stated finally coming to terms with the impossible situation.

"To think the Kyoto Group's power could reach this far…they truly are amazing." Kallen added in awe.

Their leader Zero stood nonchalantly behind them, going over what his next move would be. Sometime after the Narita battle, and his alliance with Cornelia, Zero received a letter from the Kyoto House which stated they wanted to meet with him. It seems his victory in Narita came a long way, probably the JLF putting in a good word, but it was also suspicious how the letter stated to only bring three others. His most loyal officers. Thinking over the letter's contents, Lelouch contemplated what Kyoto had in mind, and with the aid of C.C., he came to the conclusion they would ask for him to reveal himself or at least the source of his power. After all he had asked the same thing of the Black Knights senior officers back before the Black Knights were even a thing.

He would give them this, and they gave him the right moment to finally reveal himself to the senior officers. Given only Kallen, Ohgi, and Tamaki had joined him in this meeting, he assumed their reactions would not be so wild, so he would follow by showing his face to the others. He already knew them as Lelouch, and they have come to accept him after being wary for quite some time, so he hoped this would do nothing than increase their trust. He thought of the people who would meet him, or if they would truly meet him in person.

He has investigated Kyoto's leader since they received Burais, and always came to six people. The actual Kyoto House which was in charge of the sakuradite mining consisted of six people, all of which were known as traitors among the Japanese, but clearly they were simply putting up a front in order to fund the various rebel groups throughout the Area. After narrowing down the possibilities he finally decided that out of the six only two would choose to meet Zero.

" _If Kaguya is the one to meet me, I don't think revealing myself would be the best call…there's no knowing what that crazy girl would do."_ Zero suppressed a shutter as he thought of the eccentric girl, but any further thinking was interrupted by the room's sudden change in light. The windows were darkened and the room was filled with a dark red hue.

"It's repulsive…the sacred mountain of Fuji, a mountain once renowned for its beauty, turned to nothing a symbol of the Empire's defilement. Destroyed, something beautiful was, replaced by a hideous monument which reminds the Japanese of their defeat." A gruff voice resonated over the room.

The Black Knights turned to see the voice's owner. Their eyes landed on what seemed like the top part of a litter with a drape coming down which ended halfway from the ground. The cloth kept whoever sat within the quasi-palanquin hidden, and on either side of the litter stood two men dressed in black.

Zero noticed how the other tensed at the appearance, _"A man is truly powerful when their mere voice can cause such presence."_ He faced the man, his emotionless helmet giving off his own intimidating aura, _"At least I know it isn't Kaguya…then it could only be…"_

"I apologize for my secrecy, but as a man who keeps their own face concealed, I am sure you can understand, Zero." The stranger stated.

Zero had no chance to reply before the stranger continued talking, "Yet if this is to be a proper meeting which determinates a potential partnership I cannot allow such disrespectful actions between us. Therefore to a mutual trust between us, you will reveal your face to me."

Several suits suddenly pressed their guns against Kallen, Ohgi and Tamaki. Two per Black Knight, one suited man held a simply hand gun while the other had a shotgun. Zero's subordinates tensed as they felt the firearms' barrels press against their heads.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Tamaki shouted as he subconsciously put his hands up.

Kallen merely stayed silent as the weapons were aimed at her. Ohgi kept an impassive face, but sweat could be seen trickling down his brow.

In addition, four knightmares appeared aiming their weapons to everyone but Zero. The cloaked leader didn't flinch, and continued to face the hidden man.

"You threaten me?" Zero questioned causing a gruff chuckle to come from the silhouetted man.

"I am not a fool, Zero, I know no weapon can harm you, but that does not apply to your subordinates. Any threat I make to you directly, you'll shrug off like a mere fly on your shoulder, but what if I threaten your men? Will that fly then turn into a swarm of hornets?"

"If I refuse to reveal myself then what would you do?" Zero probed.

"I will have my men kill your subordinates."

Zero stayed silent for a few seconds before taking a step forward. Everyone tensed and the suits clocked their guns and the knightmares readied themselves, but Zero continued walking forward.

"Halt, Zero! Or I will order the death of your men!"

Zero said nothing and the sound of his greave like boots continuously hitting the metallic floor seem to add to the already increasing tension.

"Do not test me! I will do it! One more step and I will kill them!"

Zero took the final step and traversed the invisible line which indicated the "protective" threshold near the hidden man. The men at the litter's sides drew their guns menacingly, but Zero did not falter.

Beneath his swishing cape, Zero flexed his hand activating one of his most powerful abilities, "As if you can…"

The suits standing with arms ready to kill the Black Knight members suddenly found their guns pulled to the roof. The guns flew into the air, drawn by the sudden magnetic field which appeared. The suits who managed to keep a grip on their guns were lifted off the ground a few feet before losing it, and falling to the ground. The thudding of guns smashing into the metal roof resonating through the room. The knightmares found themselves attracted to the metal walls, and could not fight the magnetic force attaching them to walls.

In an instant all men were unarmed and the knightmares were disabled. The two men at the palanquin's sides also lost their handguns, and quickly took position in front of their leader in a vain attempt to protect the elder.

Zero finally stopped walking as his view of the hidden man was covered by the two bulky bodyguards who shielded the man.

"Threatening my knights is like threatening me! If I wished, I could kill you and your men and take control of this entire base! It would be as easy as killing a fly on my shoulder." Zero stated the last part with clear mockery.

"Then what is stopping you?"

"I did not come here to become Kyoto's enemy, the exact opposite in fact. Forgive such acts of violence, but know should you have a problem with me, threatening my subordinates is the last thing you want to do." Zero explained.

"As if we could have any "problem" with a being such as you. Ordinary intimidation will be pointless against you, and if we ever came to a disagreement we might as well commit suicide."

"Your reluctance in trusting me is justified, so in the name of good faith…I will reveal myself, but only if all of your men swear to secrecy." Zero indicated.

"Before coming here, my men took an oath. Your identity will remain among us, Zero."

Zero nodded once in understanding, "Good to know you haven't changed…" Zero's helmet disconnected, coming apart before disappearing into thin air. Gone was Zero, replaced by a raven-haired teenager, "It's been a long time, Lord Taizō." Lelouch gave the old man a small smile.

From behind the drape, Taizō Kirihara was left in shock, "It's you…"

From where they stood the three Black Knights could only see the back of Lelouch's head, but they soon came to realize it was the Britannian schoolboy.

"Lelouch!?" Kallen asked voicing the questions her friends shared.

Lelouch turned to face the three baffled knight, a guilty smile now adorning his features, "I'm sorry for lying to you…I thought keeping Lelouch and Zero as two different people would be for the best, but I quickly found your curiosity would only continue to grow. I hope you can excuse my deception."

A deep, husky laugh then filled the room. Lelouch turned back to face Taizō, noticing how the bodyguards found themselves staring at their master in confusion. After another second of laughter, Taizō ceased his joyful holler, "I would say this makes sense, but honestly I find myself even more confused than before. Tell me boy…how does someone as frail as you manage to gain such power?"

Lelouch smiled knowingly, "I'm sorry, Lord Taizō but I still have secrets which shall remain just that."

Taizō lifted the vail, finally meeting Lelouch face to face, "Understandable…now that I know it was you underneath that helmet, I have no doubt Kyoto's support will be used strategically and to its fullest potential." Taizō focused his attention behind Zero, his old eyes landing on Ohgi, "You are Ohgi, yes?"

The former teacher stiffened as all the attention was shifted towards him, but gained the courage to answer, "Yes, sir!" He answered.

"As the former leader, I am sure you've had your doubts on Zero's goals, but know that this man probably hates Britannia more than all of us combined. If there was anyone in this world capable of beating Britannia it would be him. Now…I believe this meeting is adjourned…the Black Knights will receive the full support of the Kyoto House. Do not make me regret it boy." Taizō stated humorously as he eyed Lelouch once again.

Lelouch turned to walk back to the others, "I will try my best, Lord Taizō."

Lelouch walked away from the aged man, and rejoined the other Black Knights. He eyed the three members, waiting for them to comment on anything. It was Tamaki who finally broke the silence, "I totally called it! I knew Lelouch and Zero were one and the same!"

Kallen and Ohgi stared at their companion with 'are you serious?' written all over their faces, "Oh really…I distinctively remember you saying something about "Zero being too cool to be Lelouch"…" Lelouch found Kallen's impersonation to be rather accurate.

Tamaki had to time to rebuttal when Ohgi spoke, "I also remember you saying about Lelouch being "too spineless to be as awesome as Zero"…" Lelouch now found himself wondering if the senior staff practiced their Tamaki impressions because Ohgi's was better than Kallen's.

Tamaki was left sputtering trying to explain himself. Lelouch stopped his excuses when he started chuckling, "By your banter, I assume you suspected me for some time."

Ohgi, Kallen, and Tamaki glanced at each other before facing their leader, "Originally we were convinced that Lelouch could never be Zero, but as time went on, and your lies got worse we started putting the pieces together." Kallen stated giving her classmate a witty smile, "That and your horrid acting gave it away." She finished.

Lelouch merely shook his head, "Kallen, you truly are too perceptive…well you are my "Queen" for a reason." He stated casually before facing Taizō again leaving a blushing and frozen Kallen.

Kallen's face was bright red nearly matching her hair, so she quickly tried to compose herself. She didn't miss Ohgi's knowing look he gave her, causing her embarrassment to increase.

"Before I leave, I do have one request." Lelouch proclaimed.

"Very well." Taizō stated.

"I ask you keep my identity to yourself…specifically from Lady Kaguya…we both know how eccentric she could be." Lelouch commented trying to sound as serious as he could.

Taizō let out another round of laughter before facing him with a knowing smile, "You won't have to worry about her Lelouch…she seems to have gained a strange fascination with the mysterious Zero. It was her idea to arrange this meeting after all." The older man said, his eyes never leaving Lelouch's face.

For the first time the Black Knights watched Lelouch's normally calm expression turn to a defeated grimace. He then turned to Ohgi, "It seems you were right," Ohgi gave him a confused look prompting the boy to continue, "That invitation _was_ a love letter."

* * *

Lelouch didn't know how he found himself in this situation. It started as a normal night, Shirley and he attended a concert by the Britannian Orchestra, something which Shirley suggested. In hindsight Lelouch should have realized this was a date…and Shirley probably gathered as much courage as she could to ask him. Originally he was going to attend in the most casual clothes he could find, but after some chastising from Sayoko and to some extend C.C., he dressed up in slacks, a blazer and tie. He also had to pick up Shirley from her home which was not meant to be a big deal, but her father was home for the first time in weeks. He wondered how the Black Knights would react if they knew Zero was intimidated by a middle aged man who did nothing more than stared him down.

With that awkward situation over Shirley and Lelouch went on their date without any problems. The Symphony was beautiful and Lelouch genuinely enjoyed his time. As they walked out of the Concert Hall, they found themselves caught in a sudden rain storm.

That brings us to Lelouch's current situation. He and Shirley in a hurry to get out of the rain ran to a nearby park and into a gazebo, but they were not quick enough and managed to get drenched. Shirley wore a very lovely sundress, but the blouse was white, and water does not mix well with white clothing.

Lelouch averted his eyes, sitting awkwardly next to the soaked Shirley. They both didn't say anything, and simply listened to the relaxing sound of rain hitting cement. Shirley sneezing finally broke the silence.

"I would offer my coat, but it is just as soaked…" Lelouch attempted to lift the awkward atmosphere, but failed miserably.

"Lulu." Shirley spoke.

Lelouch faced the girl, and for the first time took in the beauty of his classmate. The dampness of her hair, and sheen of the water seemed to make her glow. Lelouch's face suddenly began to heat up.

Shirley was looking down at her hands as she twiddled her fingers. Her face grew hotter and redder as she thought of what to say next, "Thank you…for tonight…I really enjoyed being with you…" She kept herself from stuttering.

"I enjoyed my time as well." Lelouch's very straight and blunt answer didn't help her with what she was trying to do.

Another wave of awkward silence swept over them. Lelouch kept looking forward at the increasing rain, and Shirley continued to twiddle her thumbs.

"Lulu…do you like being with me…I mean being around me…outside of school…or in school." Shirley asked.

Lelouch glanced over to her, seeing Shirely still staring down at her hands before facing in front of him again, "Of course I do…you are always willing to help not only me, but everyone, and I feel if I ever need help I could always come to you. It would be madness if I didn't enjoy your company. You are a very likeable girl, and I'm sure if you weren't around to keep me in check, I would have lost my way." Lelouch spoke with a comical tone, contrasting the serious atmosphere.

Shirley stayed silent for a few seconds before continuing, "Lulu…I want to tell you something…"

Lelouch turned to face her, curiosity getting the best of him, "What is it?"

Shirley suddenly lost her ability to speak, and she felt like her heart would burst from her chest. As the beating of her heart increased, she felt as though Lelouch would somehow hear, and grew worried, but determination overcame the anxiety.

"Lulu…I—I…I lo—" Shirley's confession was interrupted by the ringing of a phone. Lelouch rummaged through his damp coat, "Sorry Shirley, I thought I silenced it, what were you saying." Lelouch's attention was now focused on his cellphone, and when he saw the caller ID his face became serious. Shirley looked back at him, noticed the change in his demeanor.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"It's Sayoko calling me…this is unusual because she never calls me unless something happened." He said.

Shirley grew worried, "Do you think something happened to Nunna?"

Now Lelouch's worry reached new levels and he quickly answered the phone, "Hello? Sayoko…did something happen? Is Nunnally alright?"

"Oh wow…you truly are a doting brother." A male voice, clearly not Sayoko's voice, answered. It sounded mocking and almost childish, "Hello! I apologize for interrupting your little date, but I have someone who won't stop asking about you. Here you go little girl, say 'hi' to big brother."

Lelouch's emotions were written all over his face as he gripped the phone tighter. Shirley completely forgot her confession when she saw the shock on Lelouch's face.

"Big brother…" Nunnally's soft and frightened voice came over the phone.

Lelouch's worry reached new heights, "Nunnally…are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine, big brother, but I don't know what's happening. Who is this man, how does he know who we are?" Nunnally's questions were shared by Lelouch.

"Don't worry Nunnally, I'll figure everything out. Just hang on..." Lelouch tried his bet to comfort his sister.

"I never took you for an optimist," Lelouch heard the stranger again, "But I am curious to see what you will do, Lelouch Lamperouge, or do you prefer Lelouch vi Britannia… maybe Zero would be better. Anyway I suggest you get searching for me, I am an inpatient person, so I cannot guarantee how long your sister will remain in one piece." With that the call ended leaving Lelouch to ponder over the last comment.

Shirley watched as Lelouch's expression went from confused shock to burning fury. She noticed how his hand trembled as it gripped the cellphone. He then abruptly stood causing her to stand subconsciously.

"Lulu…what's wrong? What happened?" She asked worriedly, but Lelouch didn't hear her as he placed his phone back into his pocket.

"I'm sorry Shirley but you'll have to go home by yourself. Something came up." He stated monotonously before he began walking out of the gazebo only to have Shirley stop him by grabbing his arm.

"Wait! Don't go!" She shouted when she stopped him. Her grip was on his shirt, and for some reason she felt as if she'd lose him if she released, "Don't shut me out…I know you have secrets…I want to help." She said in a barely audible whisper.

"Shirley," Lelouch's soft voice caught her attention. She looked up, meeting him face to face. She was momentarily lost in his handsome features, but the desperate look in his eyes brought her out of her awe, "I'm sorry, but there is nothing you can do." He then pulled his arm away causing her to lose her grip. She watched as he ran out of the gazebo and into the rain.

Lelouch didn't look back as he ran. His mind was on another girl entirely, and he didn't realize he was running away from a girl who loves him.

Once he found a secluded alley, he activated his geass and blasted off towards Ashford. He broke the speed limit he set for himself, pushing his flight to speeds of 220 mph. In a little over a minute he reached Ashford and landed in front of the Council Building without hesitation, unearthing the ground where he landed. He entered the building which he noticed was left open, and deactivated his geass.

"Nunnally! Sayoko! C.C!" He shouted as he entered the lounge. He looked around for any signs of struggle, and surprisingly nothing looked out of place. He walked into another room and saw Sayoko laying on a sofa, "Sayoko!" He quickly made his way over to the unconscious maid, and checked her pulse. He released a sigh of relief before looking her over for wounds, but found none.

"I've already got rid of the geass effects."

Lelouch turned to see C.C. standing a few feet away from him. Her clothing which consisted of one of his shirts and a very short pair of shorts. What truly caught his eyes how the white clothing was stained with red blotches.

"C.C…what happened?" Lelouch asked as he walked over to her. He noticed how she averted her gaze. Her reluctance to stare him in the eye filled him with a sense of dread.

"C.C., what happened here? Who kidnapped Nunnally?" Lelouch's tone was very calm.

C.C. finally met his eyes, and Lelouch could see traces of regret, "I'm sorry Lelouch…your sister was kidnapped because of my mistakes."

Lelouch was unsure what she meant, but heard the sincerity in her words, and how she was rather disturbed by whatever this was. He grabbed her arm in an attempt to calm her, "It's alright, C.C., please tell me what happened."

Finding herself strangely at ease, C.C. looked at the boy, "His name is Mao…several years ago I entered a contract with him, and it didn't end well to say the least." C.C. averted her gaze, now choosing to look at the floor, "He was an orphan who I cared for, and I was the only one he had. After I gave him geass he became even more of an outcast since it allowed him to read minds. He could see the darkness and cruelty of people around him, and it disgusted him. He grew to love me, but as years passed his love turned into obsession. As time went on his geass evolved to the point where he couldn't stop it, and his head was constantly filled with the cacophony of countless minds. It drove him mad…and he lost sight of our contract's purpose. He failed to grant my wish…so I left him, and now Nunnally is facing the consequences."

Lelouch absorbed all the information, and several of his questions were answered, "At least now I know how he found us…and how he knew about us, but how did he get passed Sayoko? She didn't have any wounds, and I doubt he managed to take her down through brute force alone."

"When his geass reached its full power, he lost the ability to turn it off, and gained the ability to manipulate other's minds through eye contact. By looking into someone's eyes he can make them relive their worse memories, or make their worst nightmares a reality. Luckily I managed to cancel the effect on Sayoko before she was driven insane." She explained.

 **(A/N: The mind manipulation is not made up, it is also an extra ability Mao [who is female in Nightmare of Nunnally] has, and fun fact it is called "Refrain.")**

Lelouch was at a lost, and now no matter what he thought of, Mao's mind reading would reveal it instantaneously. "I have to think of something, Mao told me to hurry and find him or else…but how do I defeat a mind reader?"

"Mao is your complete opposite. Your mind is one of your greatest attributes, but against Mao it is an opened book." C.C. stated.

"Then I'll just kill him…I tear him apart before he can do anything." Lelouch was shocked by the disparity in his voice.

"He'll see any attack coming…by the time you activate your geass, Nunnally would already be dead." C.C. might was very blunt, but Lelouch knew what she said was true.

"I have to do something! With all the power I have, there has to be something! I cannot let him get away with this…I cannot bear to lose Nunnally. If I lose her…then there would be nothing keeping me sane." Lelouch's desperation showed in his features and trembling voice.

Deep within C.C., she felt a long dead emotion resurface. It was minuscule, nearly nonexistent, but it was there. An emotion she thought lost centuries ago…jealously. She was jealous of Nunnally. She was jealous of the love Lelouch held for his sister. And deeper down, she wanted his love to be directed towards her. But another emotion had a bigger presence…an emotion which made Lelouch's suffering her own.

"Have you forgotten boy? As long as we are in this contract….you will never be alone. Should you turn into the devil himself, I will forever be at your side. Your most loyal alley. Your most loyal witch. You mustn't let geass take hold of you... geass is the power of the kings…but it can also be a curse. Please do not lose yourself to geass, do not become like Mao." At his point C.C. wrapped her hands around Lelouch in an unexpected hug. Her presence was soothing to Lelouch.

"Thank you…C.C. Thank you for being here. Thank you for all you've done. Without you I would be dead, or only fantasizing about everything which happened," Lelouch then wrapped his own arms around the shorter girl, "And if you are a witch, then I shall be the demon you've tempted."

The small amount of jealousy inside C.C., disappeared. Drowned in pure, euphoric joy. A genuine smile graced her flawless features, "I've never had someone thank me as much as you. Such genuine appreciation. Thank you for being sincere." C.C. looked up at the boy who also wore a smile, "But in order to save Nunnally," She then grabbed his face, and pushed herself up with her toes, "I need you to forget." She then kissed the unsuspecting boy. In the millisecond their lips touched, Lelouch saw flashes. A planet, a bird, and a name.

Mao sat on a crate; bored out of his mind. His headphones continued to play his recording of C.C., but he could still hear voices. Especially the mind of the little girl he held hostage.

"You know, you are a very ignorant girl, but I cannot blame you. Your brother wants you to stay pure and innocent forever. He believes hiding you from the cruelty of the real world is for your own good." Mao said.

Nunnally didn't reply, not verbally anyway, "Even if you know about this sinful world, you should get those ideas of a peaceful world out of your head. Really, they are rather annoying, and unrealistic."

Nunnally remained silent, but Mao didn't stop, "It not "like" I'm reading your mind…I am reading your mind. How? Impossible? Yes, in the world you live it, mind reading is nothing more than a con artist's way to cheat people out of money, and you don't have to "wonder" if Lelouch knows this because I am sure C.C. already told him."

Nunnally stiffed in her chair, and shifted slightly in an attempt to make herself comfortable. Being tied up by thick rope is as uncomfortable as it seems.

"Compared to your brother, I am a cuddly teddy bear, so there is no need to be so scared of me. You should be scared of your brother." Mao finally stood, "You'll see what I mean soon because your he's finally arrived."

An opening in the rundown roof was Lelouch's door, and he dropped into the abandoned warehouse with a loud thud.

"Oh wow, great entrance," Mao started clapping lazily, "I would give you a ten, but the landing was slightly off, so eight is all you're getting off me." He then stopped clapping as he heard several threats coming from Lelouch.

"Such frightening thoughts. Rip me limb from limb? Tear my heart out? What savagery. Do you see this little girl…oh wait never mind." Mao smiled as his little jab at Nunnally's blindness send another wave of threats his way.

" _Keep mocking my sister and I will rip your heart out."_ Lelouch thought.

"Ah, ah, ah," Mao shook his finger disapprovingly, "I wouldn't think that if I were you."

"Big brother are you really there?" Nunnally finally spoke after getting passed her confusion. Even though Mao said her brother was here, but the noises she heard indicated nothing.

"You are rather perceptive, little girl, and you're right none of the noises make sense, but I assure you Lelouch is standing right in front of me. The only difference is his appearance. No he isn't hurt or anything, he's just dressed strangely. No…he isn't dressed like a clown, why in the world would he do that?" Mao attempt to sound serious and manipulative was halted with Nunnally's strange thoughts.

"Never mind your oddness. What I meant by dressed strangely is he is wearing armor, and no it isn't like a knight in shining armor!" A few seconds of reading her mind and Mao grew annoyed, "Never mind Lelouch being a prince! What I was trying to imply is Lelouch arrived in his Zero armor!"

Lelouch froze when Mao announced this, his eyes on the restrained Nunnally. She seemed confused by Mao's sudden proclamation, "I am not lying to you, and Lelouch is not as innocent as you make him out to be. Oh…you knew he was keeping something from you. It depressed you to think he didn't trust you." Mao turned to Lelouch with a snarky smile, "What type of brother would keep things from his dear sister? The only sibling he truly loves."

"You started blaming yourself for Lelouch's secrecy. He grew distant, and it filled you with doubt. How could a blind and disabled girl like you be beneficial to an ambiguous boy like him? You are nothing but a nuisance to him." Mao finished his translation, and at this point Nunnally began trembling. Seeing this, Lelouch's fury reached new levels, and he quickly deactivated his geass.

"You're wrong Nunnally! You aren't a nuisance! You are the only reason I keep living! So get those ideas out of your head!" Lelouch shouted.

"So the demon speaks! Hahaha! No, your ears do not deceive you Nunnally, that is your brother, and yes this means that he is Zero. The truth is out, and no I will not shut my mouth, Lelouch or should I say Zero?" Mao grew giddy.

"Enough Mao….what is you want?! What do you want from me?!" Lelouch asked finally losing his temper.

"No I don't want C.C., or money, or your death. I simply want to take away what you took from me." Mao now smiled evilly, and his childish actions ceased.

"Yes you took away my C.C., but I know she is not what you cherish." He then drew a gun from his long overcoat and aimed it at Nunnally. Lelouch tensed, instantly regretting deactivating his geass.

"You don't need to regret anything. Even with your geass, your magnetism wouldn't work on this gun. I had it specially made out of plastic. Yes, it is horribly inefficient, and only fires one bullet since the force would destroy the gun, but that one bullet can make a whole lot of difference." Mao's gun never left Nunnally's head.

"Don't do it Mao! I'm the one you want! Aim that gun at me! I won't activate my geass! Read my mind, I'm being honest!" Lelouch desperately cried.

"Brutality honest, but you don't need to worry because I'll have some fun with you before killing her." He removed the gun from her head, "You know Nunnally, Lelouch here became Zero for you. He thinks he can make your dream of a peaceful world a reality."

Nunnally listened intently at what he said, "Is that true?" She asked.

Lelouch wasn't ready by the sudden question, and suddenly felt such shame, "Yes…I am Zero, and the only reason I became him was for you Nunnally. I wish to create a world where you can live without worry. Where the dreadful Empire won't keep us living in fear."

"But…Clovis…"

Again Lelouch felt shame overcome him, "I'm sorry Nunnally, but the brother we knew as children was gone. Clovis was nothing more than a racist commander who ordered the death of hundreds. You weren't in Shinjuku that day, you didn't see the horrors he committed."

"That is all swell and lovely, but I still have something to request." Mao cut in. Lelouch looked at the smiling madman angrily.

"Again with the mental threats, how helpless can you get? Anyway, you asked what I wanted. Simple... I want you…to fly over to the Viceroy's palace, and kill everyone inside. Including Cornelia and Euphemia li Britannia." Mao sadistic smile never left his face.

Lelouch looked at him confusion mixed with disbelief, "What would you gain from that?!" He asked.

Mao simply shrugged, "Nothing really, only the satisfaction of knowing your little plan to work with Cornelia and Euphy will end all because you love your sister.. That is my demand for Nunnally's freedom. Oh and I want you to make them suffer…tear them limb from limb…rip their hearts out. Everything you thought of doing to me, you do to them. And should you refuse little Nunnally get a hole in her head." Mao finished by pointing the gun at Nunnally's head for emphasis.

Lelouch had no idea what to do. He knew Mao wanted to control him, and he knew Mao would never go through with his part of the bargain. If he did go and kill Cornelia and Euphemia, Mao would probably kill Nunnally as well. He would take away everything he cherished in a single night.

"You should really stop thinking, and get going, or would you rather Nunnally die instead." Mao pressed the gun against the frightened girl's head, and he was to continue his mocking, but a sudden jolt of pain stopped him. He pulled his hand back, dropping the gun in the process, and noticed how a knife was going through his hand. Blood seeped from his wound, and his nerves kept yelling at him in pain.

"We made it in time."

Mao recognized that voice, and quickly turned to face its owner. C.C. sauntered into the warehouse, dressed in a suit and tie, Lelouch had never seen. Mao then sensed someone behind him and turned to see the maid from earlier.

"Impossible! How did I not hear you?!" He shouted at Sayoko.

"You managed to catch me by surprise earlier, but you should know I am no normal maid. As 37th Successor of the Shinozaki School, I was trained in the art of stealth. I can erase my presence to the point of near invisibility, and that includes clearing my mind to the point where not even a mind reader would notice me." Sayoko explained as she stood in her kunoichi garb, with her knife ready.

Mao turned to face Lelouch, "How is it you kept it from me!" As Mao searched the prince's mind, he finally came to the realization, "You weren't told…no the entire plan was erased from your mind, and there is only one person who could do that." Mao's eyes finally landed on C.C.

"C.C., the one mind I cannot read. Why would you go to such lengths for him?! You're a witch! A selfish witch who cares about no one but herself!" Mao bellowed, in insanity surfacing.

C.C. wore a sad smile as she listened to Mao's cries, "It's over Mao. You've lost."

Mao's berating suddenly stopped, and a sadistic smile appeared on his face, "That is where you're wrong my dear C.C." He unbuttoned his overcoat, and removed it to reveal what was underneath. Strapped to his chest was a metal contraption which glowed a vibrant pink.

"Liquid sakuradite…" Lelouch whispered as he realized what Mao's last resort was.

"Correct, Lelouch! But this isn't just a sakuradite explosive strapped to my chest, its connected to my heartbeat! So go ahead! Kill me! But know the moment my heart stops, everything within a mile radius will be destroyed!" Mao's smile never left his face, and he watched everyone with a triumphant glare. He then turned to face Lelouch.

"You barely survived a VARIS shot…let us see how you deal with a sakuradite explosive at point blank!" Mao exclaimed before revealing a vile in his hands. Before anyone could do anything he opened the small container and chugged its contents. He began lurching over in pain, "What…will you…do? Think…fast…cyanide works….rather quickly." Mao said the pained breathes.

Lelouch looked over at C.C. before facing Sayoko. He expression turned serious, and he activated his geass. The armor covered his body in less than a second. He ran to Mao, and took a hold of him, "C.C.! Sayoko! Get Nunnally out of here, and please look after her!" Then with a powerful leap, Zero flew out of the warehouse with Mao in hand.

He flew straight into the air, surpassing a mile in matter of seconds. At this point Mao's vision had blurred, and his body went numb, _"Such an idiotic boy…"_ He thought before various images flashed before him. The Black Knights, Kallen, the Student Council, Shirley, C.C. and finally Nunnally. _"You…fool…Fall…ing…in love with…a witch…will only…lead…to suffering…"_ Mao thought before a smile graced his lips, "You…lose." Mao's last words before his heart stopped.

Then two miles above the Tokyo Settlement, a bright pink explosion erupted. From outside the warehouse C.C. watched as the sakuradite ignited at the pink ball expanded, "Lelouch…you better not die…" Even in this situation the sakuradite glowed an almost beautiful pink which covered the rainy city in a vibrant hue.

Almost a mile away Kallen sat at her desk inside her room. Due to constantly being out of class she needed to catch up on some work, so she usually studied into the late hours of the night. She continued reading when a pink glow entered her room. Confused she turned toward the window, and off in the distant, contradicting with the gloomy storm, was a pink dot. She stared at it fascinated, "What…is that?" She wondered, but as soon as it appeared the pink light faded.

Shirley lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling. Her mind went over what happened with Lelouch, and what exactly happened to emit such a reaction from him, _"I hope Nunnally's alright…I've never seen Lulu so…frightened."_ As she looked at the ceiling a quick pink flash at the corner of her eye caught her attention. She turned toward the window, and saw the storm was still raging, _"Must be my imagination…"_

It was on that rainy, July day, in the year 2017 a.t.b, that Lelouch Lamperouge vanished.

* * *

C.C. walked calmly through the Shinjuku Ghetto. It was drizzling slightly, but dark clouds hung overhead indicating a possible storm later that night. This specific part of the fallen city was far more decayed than others thus no Elevens set up makeshift homes. The entire area was barren, the only form of life being insects, and any small animals which managed to create homes here.

Anyone who saw C.C. would say she was walking aimlessly, but she had a destination, and she finally arrived. It was a rundown home in the suburbs of Ushigome. Every home home for miles was either a pile of debris, or barely standing, but the home in front of her was not as bad. Yes, it was still in horrible condition with a gaping hole in one of the walls, broken windows, and no door, but it still stood upright. The roof was relatively intact and keep most of the rain out, giving the home some sort of covering.

She could see faint light coming from within, and the smell of smoke was prominent. Without a second thought she stepped into the home.

He was sitting on a pile of ripped couch cushions, staring intently at the fire in front of him. He was quietly eating a small loaf of bread. He clearly noticed her entering, but did not shift his gaze to her. From where she stood C.C. couldn't see his eyes.

"Missing for almost two weeks, and I don't even get a hello?" She commented. Her monotone contradicting the humorous comment.

He finished the bread, and let his arms fall limply. Both arms rested on his thighs.

"Two weeks? I only woke up two days ago. It seems I've remained unconscious for the rest of the time. A small group living in the subway found me, and cared for me until I woke up." The growing dread in his voice made it evident that something happened.

"What happened?" C.C. asked.

He froze when she asked, and for the first time he looked away from the fire to look at his feet. She noticed how his clothes were very saggy, and clearly not his. His wore a very dirty t-shirt, with a ripped coat over that. His jeans were stained with what looked like old paint, and they were ripped her and there. She also noticed the blood.

He released a shuddered breath, and for the first time faced her. C.C.'s breath hitched when she saw how both his eyes glowed a violent crimson. The Geass sigil vividly displayed in both eyes.

"I killed them...I don't remember what happened. I only remember a feeling of overwhelming power, and the need to destroy. C.C., my Geass took over, and made me kill those innocent people."

C.C.'s heart sank at the genuine regret in his voice, and she walked over and placed his arms around her head. He buried his face into her clothing, "Lelouch...you mustn't let this control you."

"But C.C...this power...its tempting me. Ever since Narita, the temptation to control, and rule over the world has swelled within me. It's eating away at me...making me realize...how Britannian I truly am. I this a sign of my true weakness? The simplest taste of power, and I've grown to love it?" Lelouch spoke with such desperation, it made C.C. wonder if this was the same boy she met nearly a year ago.

"The power of the king is unlike any other. Its a power no human could ever hope to understand. Mao allowed his Geass to consume him, but you must not end up like he did. It will not be easy, for your Geass is one of the most powerful I've ever seen, but you must beat it. If not for yourself then for those you've promised to protect." C.C. held him close as she spoke.

"That is what scares me. I wish to create a perfect world for Nunnally...but I can't even trust myself to keep her safe. What if I lose control? What if lose control, and kill her?" Lelouch couldn't bare the idea of harming his sister, but since Narita...thoughts of doing so have crept into his mind.

"You are a very stubborn boy Lelouch...so why will you give in now? I would expect you to fight against the temptation, to master your Geass." C.C. said.

"Even after all this time, I know near nothing about the power you've granted me," Lelouch finally lifted his head, and faced her once again, "Please help me understand Geass and the Code. Help me prevent my insanity."

C.C. wore a sad smile, "I can tell you all I know about Geass, but your battle is one of will. The power of kings only grows in temptations, and you'll have to ignore them to stay sane. I cannot help anymore than that."

Lelouch frowned as well, "You removed the effects of Mao's Geass from Sayoko. Can you somehow remove my Geass form me?" He asked.

C.C. thought for a moment before answering, "Yes, there is one way I can take away your Geass, but I feel that only you will suffer in the end." She stated ominously. This seemed to satisfy Lelouch.

"Then if I do lose control, I want you to do it. Take away my Geass before I cause severe damage. The moment I lose control, I want you to do whatever you must to stop me. Even if it means death." He stated with fierce determination.

C.C. smiled, but it was not one of glee, but of knowing sadness, _"Death will be the least of your problems if it comes to that. In fact it is the exact opposite."_ She thought sadly.

A few moments later C.C. sat on the cushions. She leaned against Lelouch, and used his shoulder to support her head. They enjoyed the silent moment staring at the fire.

"C.C. how many have received Geass?" He asked.

"Over the centuries, I've formed contracts with a countless number of people. Most have passed on." She replied.

"But there are still some?" He questioned.

"Today, there are very few who received Geass from me." C.C. looked up, and wasn't surprise to see Lelouch staring at her as well.

"How about those who received it from someone other than you?" He asked.

C.C. she focused on the fire again, "That I cannot say. V.V. and I were never on the best terms, but I am sure he has contracted a large number of people."

"V.V.? Another code bearer?"

"Yes, and one who works with Britannia."

"You never thought to tell me this?" Lelouch stated.

C.C. gained a sly smile, "You never asked."

Even Lelouch suppressed a snicker, but then he grew serious, "I took this power to make Nunnally's dream come true, but I was narrow minded, and thought to defeat the natural Britannia I know. I now know I was wrong, for there are still darker things in this world. The supernatural. Geass is power humans should never wield, myself included, so I've decided to rid the world of Geass."

C.C. stared at him with a smile, "I may not know the exact number, but I know V.V. has given Geass to a great number of people. It will not be an easy task."

"I know, but change is never easy."

"If you succeed in destroying Geass, then what? Will you live on as the last Geass user?" C.C. asked.

Lelouch looked determined, "No...the moment I finish my goal, Zero will disappear forever, and I will never use my Geass again."

C.C. merely shook her head, "Your ambition is lunacy, but I can tell you've already made up your mind. I knew this contract would be interesting, but I never expected this. So when do we leave?"

Lelouch stood, looking far more determined than before, "Japan will be safe for now, and with Cornelia allied with the Black Knights, I'm sure any remaining refrain dealers shall disappear. This is also a good time to seek more alliances. The Black Knights may have several supporters, but we are still nothing against Britannia, so we must find those who share our values. Japan is not the only Area which was conquered and there are many whom need help. Our goal is find out what Britannia plans to do with Geass, and stop them before they initiate their plans, but we will not turn a blind eye to the other horrors of this world."

C.C. grew unsure, "This seems to contradict what we just spoke of. The only way you can complete all of this is through the use of your Geass, so what will stop you if it all goes to your head? Your words of world revolution, and destroying Geass seem far too similar to what an aspiring dictator would want."

"That is why you will come with me," Lelouch began, "The moment I made a contract with you, I knew my life will ever be the same, and I accepted that. I will destroy this world, and create it a new, and I am willing to lose my humanity to do so. C.C. you always say you will remain by my side, but now I ask you to truly stay by me, for you are the only being who could stop Zero."

C.C. sighed and shook her head, "You are a fool...a damn idiot, to give up your humanity so easily. That is something you can never regain after it is lost, so will you truly take this course?"

Lelouch stared straight into her eyes, "Yes."

* * *

The Emperor of the Holy Britannian Empire stood quietly as he watched the golden clouds in front of him. He stood in a temple like structure which housed the Sword of Akasha. For some reason he always found himself at the floating platform staring into the endless skies **(A/N Seriously, that is the one thing which always confused me. Charles was always in that damn room staring at the sun? I think? I don't know exactly what he was doing just standing there. If someone can explain it to me thank you.)**

"You should really find a hobby." V.V. remarked as he went to stand next to his younger twin.

"What is it you want V.V.?" Charles asked clearly annoyed by his brother's comment.

Seeing how he annoyed his brother V.V. chose to answer the question, "I received reports that another geass agent was killed during another attack on a Code-R facility. That would make them the third one in the last two months. The facility destroyed would be the eight."

Charles didn't bat an eyelid, "Is that all you wished to tell me, or is there more pointless information?"

V.V. sighed, "The facility destroyed was the one in charge of the African Thought Elevator. All data revolving it was destroyed."

"That is still no concern of mine. As long as the Thought Elevators remain active then our plan will commence." Charles stated.

"That is true…but they could be tampered with which would result in the link not being complete." Now V.V. had Charles' attention.

"C.C.?" Charles inquired.

"She is the only other Code Bearer in existence. So far nothing has happened, but after we lost access to the elevators in Kamine and more recently Africa….there is no knowing what could happen, but I also have a feeling they are searching for the Geass Order." V.V. replied.

Charles thought for a few seconds, "What exactly do we know of our interloper?"

V.V. gave a knowing smile, "Nothing…nothing official anyway. All cameras are crushed into oblivion and any witnesses are killed, but we both know there is only one person who can turn a knightmare into mere shreds. These sudden attacks along with what happened in the Chinese Federation proceeded his sudden disappearance nine months ago. Specifically with Schniezal's disappearance during the Kamine incident. His body was never found, and he did hold the knowledge of the elevators' locations. In addition, the reforms in Area 11 started around that time after Cornelia was taken hostage then hospitalized by him."

"He's managed to turn three of my children against me…such an ungrateful son." Even with his harsh sounding words, Charles found himself smiling which didn't go unnoticed.

"Not only your children, but other nations as well. I doubt the death of the Chinese High Eunuchs was a mere coup d'etat, and the E.U. is holding quite the defense. Even with Warwick on our side I doubt they'll go down easily, but even at sixty years of age, you are still childish, brother. You are enjoying this game." V.V. commented causing Charles' smile to fade.

"He spoke of fighting oppressors, and giving power to the weak, but in reality he is no different from me. Without his geass, he would still be nothing, but now he has shown us that he has power, and he wishes to use it. If he wishes to fight Britannia then I will give him the fight he desires." Charles proclaimed.

"How do you intend to stop him? His geass is unlike anything seen before." V.V. questioned.

"That is where his flaws reside. He may have the physical power to be the strong, but mentally he is still weak. He care for weaklings which will be his downfall. He has hidden for nine months. Remaining in the shadows as he carries out his acts, so to draw him out from the shadows, one must temp the weakness within him." The emperor explained.

"You intend to attack Area 11." V.V. stated.

"No…not Area 11. An area is nothing more than a mass of land, and to him it means nothing, but should I target those he cherishes then he will make himself known." Charles specified.

V.V. gave him a sly smile, "Speaking of killing your own daughters as if they were nothing. You truly are ruthless."

Charles spared him an indifferent glance, "They were cursed to live in this cruel world, thus they shall be used as pawns to bring about the end. That was always their intended use. In due time, we shall draw him out, and we will show him true strength. If he so wishes to fight me with geass then I will give him a war of geass."

* * *

 _He stood in the remains of what was once the royal throne room. Laying lifeless in front of him was the 98th emperor of the Holy Britannia Empire, his father, Charles zi Britannia. The throne room was destroyed, with half the ceiling gone, and the charred city of Pendragon surrounded the palace._

 _The city's destruction was due to a great battle between the Britannian Army and a single warrior. **Zero** appeared only a week before, aiming to take the lives of not only the emperor, but the entirety of the imperial family._

 _With his demonic powers, he tore apart the imperial fleet. With his sinister knightmare he decimated the royal guard. Within a week, the city was nothing but a hallow shadow of its former self. The last stronghold was the imperial palace which shined in the night as a symbol of Britannia's glory, yet it too fell._

 _Zero stared at the lifeless corpse, "You have fallen, **Father** , and with you the Britannia of the past." Zero turned to look at the throne which strangely still stood in the crumbled building._

 _He slowly made his way over to the throne, stepping over rubble, and a fallen Britannian flag. His hand landed on the armrest as if tempted to take the place as emperor._

 _"So its over." A familiar voice echoed through the room. Zero needn't turn to know who it was._

 _"Yes...I have destroyed Britannia...no the world." Zero faced the woman._

 _C.C. stared at Zero's emotionless helmet with a somber, almost depressed expression, "In the end you turned against your knights, your siblings, your best friend, even your dear sister. You've strayed from your original goal, yet you do not seem to care."_

 _Zero took a few steps towards the green haired girl, "Are you chastising me? A witch such as yourself should know this was inevitable. It was your own choice to remain by my side."_

 _"Did I really have a choice?" C.C. questioned._

 _Zero remained silent before turning around to face the throne, "This world is a miserable and war infested world. Any type of peace would never last, so in order for there to truly be harmony, there must be someone to keep everyone in line."_

 _C.C.'s frown deepened, "Then will that being be you? With V.V. and the Geass Order gone there is literally nobody who can pose a threat to you, but is that truly what you want? To rule over the entire world with an iron fist."_

 _Zero merely looked over his shoulder, "It is true there is no remaining Geass users other than myself, and with V.V. dead, no more will appear, but you have forgotten one thing."_

 _C.C. waited for Zero's explanation, but the sudden pain coming from her torso ended her curiosity. She coughed up an unhealthy amount of blood before looking down._

 _Zero's knife like whips extended from his cape. They stabbed cleanly through C.C.'s chest._

 _"You are still a code bearer, C.C., and you granting someone a Geass more powerful than mine is a possibility." He retracted his cape, allowing C.C. to freely fall to the floor. A puddle of blood appeared under her._

 _She struggled to look up in an attempt to see Zero, "Le...louch." She said through raspy breaths and blood filled lungs._

 _Zero ignored her momentarily as he walked up to the throne, "Lelouch died a long time ago," He then turned and sat down triumphantly, officially taking his place on the throne, "All which remains is **Zero** , The sole emperor of the world."_

Lelouch woke, breathing heavily. He momentarily panicked when he didn't recognize his surroundings, but calmed when he hear a familiar voice at his side. He looked down at the woman beside him, her green locks sprawled across her pillow. Relief washed over him when he saw her alive.

He slowly got out of bed, stepping onto the cold marble floor slowly to adjust to the sudden cold. He was dressed in silk pajamas, and he made his way the the balcony attached to the room. He slowly opened the bay doors and stepped into the cool night.

He was in Vermillion Forbidden City, in Louyang, China, and he was present as Empress Tianzi was given control of China again. Initially they arrived to find the location of the Geass Directorate, but found the state of the Chinese Federation appalling. Lelouch actually planned to contact the Eunuchs for a potential alliance before discovering their corrupted nature. He aided a rebellion against the corrupted officials alongside Li Xingke, a former attendant to a High Eunuch. The rebels were loyal to the imprisoned Empress Jiang Lihua, better known as Tianzi. It was a small coup d'etat, but the Eunuchs were too invested in their own pampering they never expected such a revolt. They were even more surprised when Zero appeared, aiding the rebelling forces.

After they ensured Tianzi would become the leader, and created an alliance with the young Empress, C.C. and Lelouch were ready to head off on, but Tianzi insisted Zero and his "mistress" be honored guests. Providing a grand room befitting an emperor, Zero was left with no choice but to accept. Honestly Tianzi reminded him of Kaguya, and that slightly frightened him.

They've only stayed for two days, ensuring no incidents occur which would dethrone Tianzi, but things were looking good. He heard the door behind him click open, and glanced back to see C.C. walking up to him.

She stood next to him on the balcony enjoying the tranquil night.

"Another nightmare?" She asked.

Lelouch released a tired sigh, "Yes...This is the first in a while, but it was so vivid. These nightmares almost seem like visions of the future."

C.C. interlocked her arm with his, "The future is always changing. Every little thing we do effects the outcome. The future is only what you make it to be, so do not allow these fabrications of your mind demoralize you. Besides, it would be embarrassing if, after all you've gone through, mere dreams are the cause of your insanity."

Lelouch said nothing, and continued to take in the beautiful garden courtyard below.

"C.C. I believe we should travel to Europia." He stated.

She was slightly confused, but otherwise remained indifferent, "What of the Geass Order?"

"When we came to China, I only had the Geass in mind, I was determined to destroy the order before anything else. But when I saw the state of this country, my eyes were opened to something I always knew. This world is evil, and Britannia or Geass are not the only problems which plague it. Europia is fighting a losing battle against Britannia, they will not last long at the rate the war is going. We can also meet with Leila Malcal, and hopefully we gain her support." He stated.

"Leila's family was exiled from Britannia because of their views on its old philosophies. I don't doubt she'll aid us in the coming war." C.C. encouraged.

"You never explained what her Geass was." Lelouch reminded with a curious undertone.

C.C. sighed tiredly, "It is a convoluted explanation, and frankly I do not have the energy. It is the middle of the night after all."

Lelouch smile as he shook his head in fake exasperation, "Alright, but stop hogging the sheets. I will leave less of an impression if Zero his suffering from a cold."

C.C. with a showy sway of her hips, "You'll just need to sleep closer." She answered; her sly smile hidden from the slightly flustered boy.

Lelouch soon followed her, mumbling a silent curse.

* * *

Leila Malcal was growing worried. The W-0 unit made it into Slonim rather easily. Other than some resistance met in the forest surrounding the Euro-Britannian Territory, but now that they were in the actual city, she noticed how it was abandoned. Not a soul, military or civilian, was present. She sent out the drone Alexanders, spreading them throughout the city.

A few minutes passed, and nothing happened, then the message appeared on her screen, 'Aucun Signal'. She stared at the screen surprised, "An ambush?" She said out loud.

Her bodyguard Akito Hyuga immediately maneuvered his Alexander in front of her, "Commander, do not leave my side. We must ensure you don't die before all the drones are destroyed."

She blushed slightly before nodding in agreement, "Understood, I'll do my best to return home with the rest of you." She put the remaining drone into engage mode, and readied herself for battle. Across Slonim the Ashra Strike Force attacked the enemy Alexanders, easily exposing of the drones. After constantly fighting the drones, one of the members Jan Manes managed to make contact with the "Ghost of Hannibal". Slonim was now a battlefield, and the battle was between the special Europian units and Euro-Britannia's Knights of St. Michael. Or so the Europians and Britannians thought. Little did they know, standing atop a building, overlooking the town ergo the battle was a third party. A party consisting of only one person.

"Schneizel's informants were correct." The figure's cape fluttered in the wind, He watched several explosions erupt throughout the town, and listened on the communications between the Alexanders. Thanks to Diethard, it was rather simply to hack into the Europian communication channel. He listened as the leader, Leila Malcal, gave orders. Even though he knew she was very different from other Europian leaders, especially revolving around her treatment of the Japanese, she was not the reason he was here. Leila's subordinate was the true point of interest, Lieutenant Akito Hyuga.

"Rumors of his brutality have gained him the title, "Ghost of Hannibal", this could be pure skill on his part or something else." The figure remained standing on the building's edge. From what he heard through his headset, the Europians were losing, and the Alexander drones were almost gone.

"He has yet to do anything," From where he stood the figure had a view of Akito's Alexander, and watched as he danced around the modified Gloucesters which belongs to the leader of the Ashra Force. Akito was a skillful fighter, made apparent by the way he piloted his Alexander. The knightmare jumped acrobatically around his opponent, striking whenever it found an opening. The figure noticed how another Alexander stood off to the side trying to target the Sutherland, but was unable due to the speed at which they fought.

From above, he watched uninterested, "Is his brutality just skill?" His question was then answered.

"Die."

The figure focused on the communication coming from his headset. At first he thought he imagined what he heard. It was a voice full of malice, but oddly held some joy.

"Die…" He realized it was Akito who was speaking, and focused his attention on the fight below. The Alexander suddenly lost its elegance, and began charging every time it got. Another Britannian appeared in an attempt to help their leader, but Akito easily parried and pushed the knightmare back.

"DIE!"

He felt a sudden feeling come over him. His geass flared, and he fought the urge to murder everything in sight. His hand came up to his helmet, "What is this…this feeling?" Underneath his helmet, his eyes displayed the crimson, bird sigil vividly, "Is this his geass?"

More voices resonated over the channel.

"Die!" Ayano Kosaka shouted before she cut down a member of the Ashra Force.

"Die!" Ryo Sayama followed, and he too started forcing back to his opponent.

"Die!" Yukiya Naruse finished the morbid battle cry before firing his rifle and completely disabling an enemy knightmare.

The figure removing his helmet and tore the earpiece off his head. He was sweating vigorously, and he fell to one knee, "Now I know for sure…the Ghost of Hannibal must be a geass user. The geass boosts seems to put not only its user but those effected into a trance. This trance seems seems to boost all their skills."

The armor around his hand disappeared, and he ran his hand through his jet black hair before wiping his brow, "If I fell into its effects…there's no knowing what I could do." He pushed himself up, and stood straight. Wind flew through his hair, and he realized the battle moved to another location. The armor around his hand reappeared, along with his helmet, "I must investigate this further…Lieutenant Akito Hyuga…I wish to question you further."

His knees bent, and metallic wings sprouted from his back before he took off toward the battle.

Akito stared at his brother with shock filled eyes, "Brother...are you telling me to...?"

His brother Shin Hyuga Shaing stared down at him disdainfully, "Yes...I want you to die. Die for my sake, my dear brother." Shin's left eye glowed a bright crimson, and a bird sigil appeared. Akito was entranced by the glowing symbol, and red rings encircled his iris. Akito unknowingly stepped forward nearly falling of his Alexander.

Leila watched in horror at the brotherly reunion, "That is no way to speak to your younger brother!" She shouted angrily as she aimed the Alexander's rifle and targeted Shin, but found herself hesitation out of fear.

"Akito! Get away from him!" Ryo ran up to the do knightmares, firing off his uzi as he did so. His aimless, sporadic firing missed Shin who continued to glare at Akito and now Ryo with a demeaning look.

Ryo's yelling brought Akito out of his trance, but before the Geass victim could warn his friend to stay back, the sound of metal ramming into metal caught everyone's attention. Akito slowly turned to face his brother once again, and was met with a black figure who stood with his brother neck in his grasp.

The flowing cloak draped over the newcomer covered the obsidian armor he wore, and the closest thing to a face was the figure's purple visor attached to a spiked helmet.

Everyone present instantly recognized who it was.

Yukiya who stood behind a tree nearby worded everyone's shock, "It's Zero." He stated in complete bafflement.

"But...but he disappeared months ago." Ayano added.

"Just what the hell is going on?!" Ryo shouted his frustrations.

Leila sat in shocked silence, _"Zero...leader of the Black Knights in Area 11 who disappeared nine_ _months. Why is he here? Does this mean the Black Knights are here as well?"_

Zero lifted Shin off the ground by the neck, and leader of the Knight of St. Michael only stared at his captor in anger.

"I am sorry for interrupting your little reunion, but I cannot let you kill him." Zero stated with a robotic voice. Lelouch stared at the contorted face of his counterpart, and for a moment was rendered silent when he saw the Geass symbol in Shin's eye.

 _"So he is a Geass user as well...now I'll have to question both of them."_ Lelouch thought before he faced Akito, his grasp around Shin's neck remaining firm.

"Ghost of Hannibal." Zero spoke, "I must speak with you." He saw the pilot flinch and quickly glance back at the cockpit of the Alexander.

"I suggest you refrain from doing anything rash. I will not harm you unless provoked." Zero explained. Both their attention was drawn to the loud sound of screeching metal, and they both turned towards the oncoming knightmare.

[Unhand, Lord Shaing!] Jean Rowe bellowed from within her Gracchus.

Zero stared at with boredom, "Very will." He released his grasp around Shin's neck, and allowed him to fall off the knightmare. Shin let out pained snarl as he felt his arm snap from impacting with the asphalt below. Zero aimed his hand at Jean Rowe's knightmare, and the familiar 'DOM' symbol appeared.

In mere seconds he made the knightmare turn at pulled the cockpit apart. Jean Rowe quickly shook of her shock, and ran toward Shaing. She put herself in between him and Zero.

Said man merely turned toward the Alexander off into the distance, "Leila Malcal!" He shouted.

Leila froze when he called out to her, and for a brief second thought of running away, but she refused to think in such a way. To abandon one's friends is unforgivable. She swallowed in an attempt to calm herself, but it did not help. She then moved the Alexander forward, and was soon a few feet away from Zero.

Akito shouted at her to run away, but she ignored him as she opened her cockpit. Her heart beat was defeating, but she stood confidently either way.

Zero bowed his head respectively, "A pleasure to meet you, Major Malcal. I must say I was a fan of your father's, and am glad that the you share the same views."

Leila eyed him oddly, "Zero, what are you doing here? What is it you want?"

Lelouch was impressed by Leila's boldness and decided to get to the point, "You fight Britannian relentlessly, but do you know why?" Zero asked.

Leila grew confused, "Europia is a superpower which holds great economic stability, and is a potential threat to Britannia. It is logical for Britannia to fight us."

"You are not wrong, but I am here to tell you there are far more...sinister reasons for their fighting. This world is not as you make it out to be, so I ask for your cooperation." Zero held out his hand.

Leila glanced at his outstretched hand before staring at the helmet again, "If you truly want my cooperation, why are you being so vague? If you know something about Britannia, and share our values, then you shouldn't need secrecy."

Lelouch was impressed by the major, and quickly decided she was trustworthy, "I promise to tell you in full detail, but not here. We must do it in private."

Leila could understand such reasoning, but still needed more to agree, "This must be very important, if even you aren't willing to speak it easily."

Zero nodded, "Believe me when I say, what I am willing to share will greatly change how you view the world., and I have the very men to prove it." He gestured toward Shiang who was guarded by Jean, then to Akito who still stood on his Alexander watching the scene play out.

Now Leila had a choice. She thought of her options, and only two reasonable one came to mind. Option 1, she accepts, and not only through they potentially gain Zero as an ally, but some sort of astonishing information. Even if it was not as astonishing as Zero claimed, they still have the two Zero defeated. Option 2, she refuses, and asks Zero to join them anyway. Obviously that choice is very far fetched, and Zero would clearly deny, but he wouldn't become their enemy. He'll probably leave and let them fend for themselves. They would still get the two, but would lose Zero's support. To say which options was more beneficial would be stating the obvious.

Taking in a deep breath, Leila made her choice, and promised herself to face whatever came with it headfirst, "Very well, I'll agree to your terms."

* * *

Cornelia entered the palace command center, ignoring how it was in chaos, "What's happening?" She asked. Her knight, Guilford was instantly at her side, and gave her a small bow.

"An entire fleet seems to have appeared out of nowhere. They're aircrafts have surrounded the Tokyo Settlement, and battleships have blockaded Tokyo Bay, and have a defensive line up to Iwaki and down to Nagoya. We believe they cloaked their signals, so we didn't see them coming." Guilford explained.

"Who is it? Europia? China?" Cornelia asked.

Guilford was hesitant, but he knew there was no time to pause, "Well…Princess…it's neither. The forces are Britannian."

Cornelia's expression hardened, "So father has decided to attack. I knew this was going to happen, but I attempted to slowly reform this Area," She spoke to herself before facing Guilford, "Have they made any demands?"

"No, Princess, but their commander asked to speak to you." Guilford stated.

"Alright…" She walked over to her throne, and sat confidently, "Connect me with their commander." The various men in the center quickly tapped away at their stations. A few seconds later the giant screen displayed the video call.

"Hello Cornelia."

Cornelia could only glare, "Sister Guinevere, you've caught my attention, so why is it you've brought an army to my Area?"

The first daughter of Britannia returned Cornelia's scowl, "Enough of this, little sister, you've had your fun. Surrender yourself to me, and hand over Area 11, and maybe your sentence will be tame."

Cornelia wore a face of confusion, "What are you talking about? I've done nothing wrong; if anyone should be sentenced it should be you because this little show can be considered an invasion, and last time I checked, attacking another Area is a treacherous act."

Guinevere's scowl increased, "Don't act coy, Cornelia, it is you who is treacherous. Honestly I never thought you of all people would turn against your country. I will compliment your secrecy, but all games come to an end."

"May you stop with the ambiguity because I truthfully do not know what you are talking about?" Cornelia was genuinely getting annoyed.

"Enough you stupid girl! The game is over Cornelia! We know of your allegiance with Zero, and your plan to take the throne for yourself. Do you have no honor? No shame?" Guinevere's revelation shocked Cornelia, but she kept her expression neutral.

" _How did she find out about Zero? Yet it seems whoever told her made up the rest. Take the throne? Is that a lie to fuel her anger? No doubt she'll use my treachery to dispose of another rival in the war that is the imperial royal family."_

"Cornelia, since you are my sister I will give you a chance to surrender. I know you are a proud woman, so surrendering would probably be very difficult for you, but if you do not give me an answer, I will begin bombardment of the Tokyo Settlement. You've thirty minutes, choose wisely little sister." Guinevere ended the communication leaving a deadly silent room.

Cornelia gritted her teeth, "Dammit!" She shouted as she slammed her fist on the arm rest. All the men in the room nervously waited for their orders. Some thinking over the revelation since nobody except those close to Cornelia knew of her allegiance.

Cornelia's anger dwindled and she released a hefty sigh, "Guilford…where is Euphemia?"

"She is visiting Ashford Academy's festival with Sir Kururugi, shall I call for her return?" Guilford asked.

"No…call Kururugi, and tell him to proceed with the Evacuation plan." Guilford stood momentarily shocked.

"Princess…but what of you?" He asked concerned.

She looked his way, a reassuring smile appearing, "I knew this day would come…to think Area 11 would be invaded on the same day as eight years ago. August 10th must be an unlucky day for the Japanese," She murmured to herself. She then sat straight in her chair and faced the men who awaited their commands, "All of you now know of my alliance with Zero…so any of you who wish to leave may do so." Cornelia noticed how the men looked at each other unsurely before out of the thirty men, nineteen stood.

They were seeing who would be the first to walk out, but Cornelia grew impatient, "Enough of your cowardice, get the hell out of my palace, and hope we do not meet on the battlefield because I do not take traitors kindly." Cornelia's viscous tone surprised the nineteen men.

Guilford grew angry at the men's expression of confusion and disapproval, "You heard the princess! Leave this place before she retracts her offer!"

The men stood for a few more seconds before leaving the room without another word, "The treacherous dogs…" Guilford commented furiously.

"You can join them, you know…"

Guilford look at the sitting woman, confusion marring his face, "Your highness?" He expressed his confusion.

"Tokyo is completed surrounded, and I doubt those men will be the last to abandon me…I'm sure if you aid Guinevere, you'll be heavily rewarded." Cornelia was very cold in her explanation, but Guilford was having none of it. He walked in front of throne, and kneeled down.

"The day you chose me as your knight, I swore to forever be at your side. Be it the world who turns against you, I will never cease to be your sword in this never ending battle. My life is yours to command… until my last breath, I will remain with you, and you alone." The bespectacled knight proclaimed.

Cornelia's cold appearance faded, and a grateful smile took its place, "Thank you my knight…"

"Princess!" The alarmed voice of a remaining computer operators ended the warming moment.

Cornelia turned to the freckled man, "What is it? Did Guinevere make a move?" Her tone became instantly serious.

"I…don't know, but new signals have appeared on the map!"

Cornelia stared at him disbelievingly, "Are they more Britannian forces?"

"I'm not sure, but we've received an unknown communication signal. Should I patch it through?"

Cornelia pondered for a moment before a memory made itself known.

" _I leave Japan in your hands for now."_

" _What do you mean, Lelouch? Where are you? Where are you going?"_

" _Do not worry, dear sister. I will return soon, and I apologize I couldn't meet you in person. Please take care of Nunnally in my absence."_

" _When is soon?! Why exactly are you leaving?"_

" _There are far darker things in this world than meets the eye…and if I am to make Nunnally's dream a reality then I must destroy all which can threaten a peaceful world."_

" _Euphy and I just got you back, and you are leaving again! What of Nunnally? What shall we tell her?!"_

" _Tell her, I am doing this for her…and that I'm sorry. I have to go…please reform Japan as we planned…please await my return."_

"Connect the call!" Cornelia ordered. The man quickly typed away at his keys, patching through the unknown signal.

Cornelia readied herself, but as the call connected, the person depicted was not at all who she expected. Her mouth slightly handing open in shock she finally found her voice, "Schneizel?!"

The second prince of Britannia recuperated Cornelia's shock with a simple smile, "Good to see you, Cornelia, it's been some time since we've last seen each other let alone spoken."

Cornelia's surprise was mirrored by everyone else in the command center as they all stared at the giant screen, "Where were you? Most of us were convinced you died in Kamine."

Schneizel feigned offence, "I assure I am not dead, and for where I was…that is a story for another time. Let's just say I was discovering the evil which lingers in this world."

Schneizel's purposeful vagueness was not lost on Cornelia, but she ignored it for now, "Fine…I assume the new signals is your doing."

"Partially yes, but I cannot take all the credit for this gift. Allow me to direct this call to a colleague of mine." As soon as Schneizel finished another window appeared on the screen revealing a new face Cornelia had never seen.

The man sat straight behind a desk, and remained silence before being signaled to continue, "We're on? Oh…forgive me Princess Cornelia, I am not used to this type of political interaction." The man quickly cleared his throat before facing the camera, "It is honor to meet you Viceroy Cornelia, I am General Claus Warwick of the Europian Army, and it is a great pleasure to aid you in Japan's liberation. I apologize for not being there in person, but with the recent change in government in the E.U., I've remained rather busy, and so I gave Schneizel command of the forces in my stead. I've sent Europian soldiers, along with 2,000 Japanese volunteers which include the special Alexander unit W-0 on standby." Warwick listed off all the information, not giving Cornelia time to express her confusion.

"Wait…what is going on? You speak as if we are on common ground, but I honestly do not know why you are here." Cornelia said.

Warwick's serious attitude was replaced by a look of confusion, "You don't know about the plan?" He asked.

Cornelia wondered what he meant before another communication connected. This time a young girl was depicted, probably no older than thirteen, "Greetings Viceroy, I am glad to be of serve you in this fight. I am Empress Tianzi from the Chinese Federation, and my forces along with several thousand from the Middle Eastern Federation shall arrive into Tokyo shortly." The young girl said proudly.

Cornelia grew frustrated, "Can someone please explain what is happening?"

The three on the screen only stared at her in confusion. Then another face appeared, ending the silence. Displayed was a visibly nervous man who felt awkward under all the attention.

"Viceroy Cornelia, I wish to apologize for the confusion. I am Ohgi Kaname, deputy commander of the Black Knights, and I was just informed that you have yet to be told of Zero's plan." Ohgi said.

The moment Cornelia heard Zero's name, everything became clearer, "I see…Zero has assembled an army. He knew Area 11 would be attacked."

"Well it was more of a prediction," Schneizel began, "Zero knew Britannia would make a move, and after he's destroyed various research facilities, it was only a matter of time. My contacts within Britannia also helped."

"I heard of the sudden increase in attacks throughout the world, and realized it could only be Zero, but how did he manage to ally with you two." Cornelia now focused on the young Empress and Europian general.

"Zero helped Europia four months ago, and it was because of his leadership and power that we managed to defeat Britannia and unite the E.U. again. Then he revealed General Smilas, and the rest is history. He ensured the prosperity of Europia, made us realize the injustice of the Japanese internment camps, and guaranteed a peaceful future for my daughter. So when he called I couldn't help but answer." Warwick said reminiscing about past events.

Empress Tianzi took the proceeding silence as her cue to speak, "Zero aided in a coup d'état which removed the High Eunuchs from power. Ever since I was born, they did nothing but control me, and make the lives of my subjects unbearable. They were greedy, and only focused on making their lives easier, even if it meant marrying me off to your brother Odysseus. I was prisoner in my own palace, but Zero helped free me, and in return I will help him free Japan."

Cornelia heard their reasoning and could only smile, "That boy…disappears for over a year, and returns with an army. I guess even he knew his power is not the only thing needed to take down Britannia. Smart move, allying with Britannia's main opposition, and planting the seeds of revolution. To think I would live to see the day in which Britannia falls…rather exhilarating." She then remembers something crucial, and turned to Ohgi.

"Deputy Commander Kaname…why was I not told of this plan?" She asked.

Ohgi suddenly turned nervous, and scratched his head sheepishly, "Well…Zero informed me that he…forgot…to tell you that is."

Cornelia raised an eyebrow, "He forgot?"

Ohgi paled at the coldness in her voice, "He said he was too busy to call…" Ohgi awaited the Viceroy's berating, but he only received a sigh.

Cornelia shook her head, "That boy…" She mumbled before focusing on Ohgi trying her best not to glare, "And why did he send you in his stead? Is he still too busy to inform me even though his "plan" is currently in motion?"

"About that…We realized the entrance to Tokyo Bay was barricaded by various Britannian Destroyers and a Carrier Battleship…so he decided to dispose of them." Ohgi said.

Cornelia still eyed him, "Alright…"

"So…he's currently on our submarine."

Now Cornelia sat confused, "What?"

* * *

Britannian Destroyers formed a tight line, and kept anyone from entering or exiting Tokyo Bay. The head ship a Carrier class Battleship was stationed behind them, guns ready to fire upon any oncoming forces. Then they saw them.

Hundreds of ships sped towards Tokyo Bay. In the sky hundreds of VTOLs which carried knightmares formed a bird like swarm. Alongside them were VTOL gunships ready to open fire. The Britannian forces were amazed at the several forces aiming for them, and in break neck speeds readied their ships to fire. Now hundreds of guns aimed at the oncoming forces.

Leading those forces was a very sleek and modern submarine which was unsubmerged. It was very fish-like with many fin like propulsion moving it forward, but that is not what was eye catching. On top of its "dorsal fin" stood a single figure. His cape fluttered wildly behind him, and his slick black armor gave off an intimidating appearance. He stood tall with his arms crossed, and defying the forceful winds, he remained unmoving.

"Zero, the blockade is targeting our forces!" The voice of Anna Clement came from Lelouch's headset. Even from this distance he could see the destroyers and battleship aiming their guns at his forces. A second later an audible boom reverberated as the ships fired.

"They've all fired directly at us!" Hilda Fagan added.

"I know…" Zero calm voice replied through the channel.

Zero still stood with his arms crossed as the mixture of shells and rockets headed straight for the transports, submarines, and transport boats. They neared at Mach speeds, and were less than a hundred feet away when every single projectile stopped. They all stopped at the same place, forming a wall of frozen bullets and rockets.

Lelouch smiled happily under his helmet, _"A year of practice, and constant usage has increased my Geass to its full power."_ The projectiles then turned around, and flew back at full speed. Shocked by the sudden turn of events the Britannians weren't quick enough to shoot the oncoming barrage, and were sliced by their own bullets and rockets.

The barricade turned into a wall of fire as the smaller destroyer ships exploded, letting out a plume of smoke. The submarine continued onward, followed closely by the mixed army.

"We've detected several IFF signals coming from underneath the water. Probably RMI-Portmans."

Zero took in the information before extending his reach. All the amphibious knightmares were ripped from the water, and held in the sky. About a hundred were now in the sky, held up by Zero's magnetism.

Zero brought his hands together before opening his arms wide in a hug-like gesture. In the middle of his separated arms, a giant 'DOM' symbol appeared. In an instant all the frog like knightmares were in Zero's control.

"Destroy the Battleship!" Zero commanded before he released the knightmares. They fell into the water, and quickly propelled towards the larger ship. From above, Zero should see the explosions, and noticed how the Carrier Battleship drove through the debris of the other destroyers. It was trying to get closer for a clear shot. Zero remained still as circuits overtook his armor. In a purple flash, Zero was gone replaced by the Shinkiro.

Within the knightmare, Lelouch activated the keyboard controls, and furiously typed away at the panels, "In addition to all my powers…I also command the strongest knightmare in existence!" He nearly laughed manically when the Shinkiro floated off the submarine. Its chest opened and glowed brightly before firing a concentrated beam straight at the enemy carrier. The beam struck the metal deck and burned through it in a matter of seconds followed by a violet explosion. Then as soon as it appeared the Shinkiro disappeared, parts of the frame shrinking and disappearing. Zero stood on the Submarine once again, observing the destruction he caused.

Within seconds the blockade was nothing but scraps, sinking lower and lower into the sea. Thick smoke clouded the skies, and everyone present could only stare in awe or fear at the display of power.

Zero watched the roaring flames, _"This is it. The pieces are set, and this is the first move in the coming war. Today we officially declare war on Britannia."_

Zero placed a foot forward, and extended his arm, and allowed his cape to flail wildly. "Attention all forces!" His voice resonated through the radio of all those connected to the channel, "Today is a day of reckoning! A day in which Britannia learns the errors of their actions! Britannia has attempted to oppress everyone within this army, but we must not allow this to be fought with vengeance! We must fight for the pursuit of justice and freedom! We will show Britannia that their outdated philosophies have no room in this progressing world! Not as three separate countries, but as a united nation bent on ending the terror which is Britannian authoritarianism! Bent on countering the Emperor's world domination! So advance, and know today we do not only liberate Japan, but set into motion the liberation of the world!"

Thus the Black Rebellion began. A day once known as the worst in Japanese history soon became the start of a global rectification. Led by Zero, former prince Schneizel el Britannia, former princess Cornelia li Britannia, Empress Jian Lihua, and General Claus Warwick. Although the battle was brutal, and both sides lost combatants (The UFN lost significantly less than Britannia) the battle was won within a week, and Guinevere was captured. It was the first time in which different people, of different races, with different ideologies fought with a common goal. Men and woman who never met each other, found themselves fighting side by side. It was a display of what a united world could be…a world in which no one lived in fear of an oppressor whom conquered one third of the world.

 **THE END.**

 **THANK YOU FOR READING.**


	7. Happy New Year

**A/N: Happy New Year. A few days late but still** **relevant.**

* * *

"As far as we can tell, they've either discovered teleportation or have a geass user. Given how this war started I vote the latter. With Lisbon in their hands we've retreated to Santarem, Evora, and are using Elvas as our stronghold and final line of defense, but we are currently at a standstill in Evora." Even with her seemingly flawless features, Lelouch could see the stress of war getting to his elder sister. That and they are having a conference late into the night, that he could not blame her tired state. He was feeling rather worn out too.

"A teleportation geass? That would be helpful, but I doubt anyone brainwashed by the Order would turn to our side," Lelouch sat up and stared intently at the laptop before him, "Just what we need, a powerful geass, and knight of round." He looked over the details of Cornelia's battle in Portugal. It was still an ongoing battle, and it was part of their plan to remove all Britannian forces from Europia.

With Cornelia and Warwick's leadership, they managed to push the Britannian forces into Portugal, then the most recent battle was in the city of Lisbon. It was expected to be a victory, but as Cornelia is currently informing him, it was their loss due to the appearance of a new geass user and a knight of round.

The knight of round was not unexpected given the severity of this war, but Lelouch believed the Emperor specifically sent the Knight of Nine in an attempt to appeal to Cornelia. Nonette Enneagram and Cornelia were old friends, so maybe the Emperor sent her to convince Cornelia to rejoin Britannia.

Now that was the most outlandish of ideas in Lelouch's mind given the emperor's lack of sentimental emotions, or any emotions for that matter. The most plausible reason of sending Nonette would be to evoke hesitation in Cornelia which would in turn give Nonette and the Britannian forces the upper hand.

Lelouch doubted such an attempt would work on Cornelia, but one can never be too careful, "With this sudden turn in events, I'll have to finish up my visit here in India sooner than expected."

Cornelia's face turned slightly sour after hearing his response, "Is this your way to kindly express your distrust in my abilities? I thought you said you will not be the leading force in this war."

Lelouch sighed as he realized what she meant, "Do not misunderstand, this operation is yours and yours alone. The sole reason I will go is for the geass user. After I deal with them, I will head to the Middle Eastern Federation to secure the next Thought Elevator since Xingke and Kallen recently reclaimed Iran."

Cornelia nodded in understanding, "Then that's it for this meeting. I'll inform you if anything drastic happens."

"Also inform me if anything happens with the Lancelot's new energy wings. Rakshata, Cecile, and Lloyd want to know any issues before they begin to mass produce them. They already have the Guren's ready, but want to be sure the technology does not have any potential errors before integrating it." The former prince explained.

"Very well." Cornelia agreed before ending the video call. As soon as the call ended, Lelouch leaned back, and released a sigh of tired relief. This was the third call of the night, and shorter than the last since it only lasted around an hour and a half unlike the UFN conference which spanned nearly four hours.

Ohgi was the second person to call him, and reported on any happenings in Japan, now formally known as the United States of Japan. After its liberation a few months ago, the name Area 11 was disbanded, it gained a new name, and its government was reformed into a democracy with a constitution. As for who was given the task to "rule" Japan, the council that consists of the members of the Kyoto House along with Ohgi and General Katase decided to leave it open due to the world's current state, they've decided to delay the election until after the war, but that did not stop them from beginning Japan's rebirth.

Euphemia li Britannia, now known as Euphemia Lamperouge after denouncing her claim to the throne, was given an honorary place on the Japanese council. She asked for this positions herself, so she could be a voice for the few Britannians who sympathized with the Japanese and all others who were oppressed with Britannia. Chief among these sympathizers was Ruben K. Ashford who acted as a voice of reason for his fellow countrymen who were unsure of which side to be on. The numbers were low, but there were some Britannians who joined the side of liberty against dictatorship.

This group of Britannians were greatly outnumbered in Japan by the number of Britannian loyalists which lead to several protests, and riots soon after Japan's liberation. These riots eventually ended peacefully with the aid of Euphemia, and most Britannians who were still loyal to their country and its ideologies quickly left the country, and returned to their estates back in the homeland.

Of course this left a lot of land and homes vacant in Japan, but this did not last long. It was mid-September when hundreds of thousands of Japanese who escaped eight years ago, returned to the land they once called home. This mass immigration came as a shock, but was quickly welcomed by the new council of Japan. Most of the immigrating Japanese were from the Europian ghettos which were dissolved after Europia joined the UFN.

The call from Ohgi was mainly to inform Lelouch on the progress of giving the returning Japanese a new life. It was a great obstacle but they were pushing through. General Katase also proposed they form a new Japan Self-Defense Force which as soon as it was announced gained public support, and thousands of recruits. In only three months Japan gained a stable defense with knightmares being supplied by China. Ashford Academy also opened up its doors to the entering Japanese which garnered support from the government. Overall great progress was made in Japan, and it seemed to only increase with the battles won throughout the world.

Lelouch sat comfortably for a few minutes thinking over the past few months, before standing, "No use in waiting, C.C. and I should leave for Portugal in the morning." He walked out of the living room, and into an adjacent room where C.C. slept calmly with Cheese-kun wrapped warmly in her hands. When he opened the door, light flooded the dark sleeping quarters garnering a groan from the sleeping immortal.

"Can't you be quieter…?" She grumbled before pulling the sheets over her head.

A small smile appeared on Lelouch's face as he quickly went to change into more comfortable clothes, "Your listlessness knows no bounds." He commented teasingly as he made his way to the other side of the bed.

C.C. mumbled something inaudible before shifting slighting, "That reminds me, your phone was ringing nonstop a few moments ago."

Lelouch stopped from slipping under the sheets, and quickly turned to the nightstand. He silently searched for the phone in complete darkness, and found it after a few seconds. His cellphone was meant for the most important calls, and usually involves people who knew he was Lelouch Lamperouge, "Why did you wait until now to tell me?" He stated as he flipped open his phone.

C.C. groaned again, "I was very comfortable, and you were busy with your important conferences."

Lelouch went through his phone noticing the missed calls, "Four missed calls from Sayoko? For her to call so late at night…something happened." Lelouch went to call the maid, but noticed the time she called him. He then realized why there were so many calls, and sighed tiredly, "Of course…today is January 1st , the new year. Nunnally probably wanted to wish me a happy new year, and even stayed up later due to the time difference. Great now I feel like an asshole."

"After knowing you for nearly two years, you are still a master of stating the obvious." C.C. commented.

"And you still seem to only speak when it befits you." Lelouch retorted.

"I will be honest, I never expected you to celebrate the New Year. That is something I will never understand, celebrating the coming of a new year, especially with you humans. I expect you to dread the new year since it pushes you closer to death, and is filled with the unknown." C.C. explained.

"I never was keen on the giant parties, and counting the seconds on New Year's Eve, but given who I go to school with, I was unwillingly pulled into it. Nunnally also enjoyed celebrating; she believed each year brought great possibility, and it was a sort of rebirth. Unlike you, who years are nothing but passing moments, we mortals take each one as a challenge sorts. A challenge to better ourselves, to resolve everything that wronged us in the past. We only have so many years ahead of us, so we try to make the best of them." Lelouch found himself growing nostalgic which was strange for someone like him.

"Strange time to be philosophical, but who am I to judge? My time stopped centuries ago, so I cannot relate to your traditions. You mention you were pulled into the chaos of New Year's Eve by the student council, knowing that president I am sure it was amusing." C.C. said.

"As much as you talk about not understanding or caring, you seem to be very curious." Lelouch pointed amount teasingly.

C.C. turned away from him burying herself further in the blankets, "I have no idea what you mean…"

Lelouch only snorted in chuckled in response as he joined the woman in the bed, "Then I apologize for the next minute, because it seems I've grown rather nostalgic, so humor me won't you?" Lelouch slipped under the sheets, and faced the ceiling, "Milly's ideas only escalate every year, but I remember back in 2016 on New Year's Eve, she really outdid herself. There was a huge festival, vendors, games, all of that. It was sane until two hours before midnight when Milly announced a competition." Lelouch's nostalgic reminiscence halted momentarily as he thought of that night.

"The competition involved dressing up as chickens to then chase chickens," The image of himself and the other council members in chicken costumes brought a smile to Lelouch's face "Of course, being Milly, there had to be a reward. The reward was getting the "New Year Kiss" from Milly. It goes without saying several male students jumped at the chance, and I reluctantly participated after Rivalz begged me for help." Lelouch's tale was interrupted by the soft giggling coming from C.C.

"That would be a sight to behold, but why chickens? That seems like an odd choice." C.C. asked.

"2017 was the year of the rooster in the Chinese zodiac, and Milly found out. Once that girl grabs onto something she holds onto with an iron grip. I remember that day so vividly yet it feels like it was decades ago…" Although he spoke with a feigned exasperated tone, Lelouch couldn't help but get lost in his memories, "I just realized Milly graduated this year…back in June. Whenever I return, I'm sure she'll give me a mouth full for not being there."

"It was your own fault, you refused to visit them when we liberated Japan." C.C. reminded.

Lelouch sighed once again, "My reasons were justified. We still do not know if every Britannian who chose to stay in Japan is trustworthy, so I had to be cautious. As much as I'd like to praise my ambiguity and secrecy, it would not take a genius to notice how my return coincides with Zero's."

"Yet you risked everything to visit Nunnally." C.C. remarked slyly.

Lelouch was rendered silent as his reasoning was destroyed, "That was different. Sayoko and I planned the meeting with the upmost caution, and we considered every possibility. We understood Tokyo was unsafe, so we decided to meet in Karuizawa, vehicles can be tracked so they took the train, and I flew there. I planned several escapes if we were suddenly ambushed, and since it was only the three of us, it was much easier to be discreet."

"I was only joking, so there is no need to defend yourself like a criminal caught red handed." C.C. stated.

"You witch…I don't know why I constantly play into your hands. You'd think I would learn after knowing you for this long. Anyway I've talked too much, I should get at least a few hours of sleep before we leave in the morning." Lelouch said nonchalantly before shifting to find a comfortable position.

Another groan from C.C. stopped him, "I thought we were staying in India for a few more days."

"Plan changed after Cornelia reported on a new geass user in Portugal. Apparently they are what caused the loss in Lisbon." Lelouch explained.

"You're insisting on being the so called "messiah" who rids the world of geass." C.C.'s tone was slightly condescending, underlined with a hint of anger. This change in tone did not go unnoticed by Lelouch, and this was not the first time C.C. seemed to show disdain for his goal.

"I am no messiah. I am nothing, but a brother who wishes to grant his sister's wish. To create a perfect wo—"

"Yeah, yeah, "every evil must be vanquished", I've heard this many times, no need to repeat yourself." C.C. basically snapped as Lelouch went on. If it was not pitch black within the room, C.C. would see Lelouch's very confused face staring at her form.

"Normally I would take this as you being grumpy due to your interrupted sleep, but this is not the first time you've grown angry with me. Why the change of heart? You agreed with me, back when you found me after the incident with Mao, yet now the mere mention of me eliminating geass gains your ire." Lelouch sill lay on the bed, but was now turned towards C.C.

"I never remember agreeing, I just said I'd accompany you as part of our contract. Your ambition is still lunacy, but nothing I say will cure your insanity, so I don't waste my breath." C.C. replied.

"Insanity? If you think I'll end up like Mao you're wrong. I've trained with this power, and know how to control it. It will not take hold of me like Mao's." Lelouch clarified.

Now it was C.C. who released a sigh, "That is not the point you fool…Now sleep or leave. I'm done with this useless chatter."

Lelouch went to retort, but felt it would only worsen the situation, so he shifted his body to face away from C.C. Lelouch pondered on what made the woman next to him so angry, but he could not think of the reason behind it. This pondering kept him awake for an unknown amount of time, and eventually he slowly started to drift off to sleep.

As his mind was transitioning into the realm of dreams, a flash of images and voices appeared.

" _You are still a code bearer…"_ Followed by a bubbly gargle, then followed by a flash of red.

" _All which remains is_ _ **Zero**_ _, the sole emperor of the world."_

He then jolted awake, but was stopped from sitting up by the sleeping woman who unconsciously attached herself to him. He realized he was breathing rapidly, possibly hyperventilating, and quickly worked to stabilize his breathing. After a few seconds it returned to normal, allowing Lelouch to take a few breaths to calm himself.

He could feel himself sweating, and the extra warmth brought by the body leaning against him did not help, but it seemed like C.C. did not wake up, so he didn't want to risk waking her.

"Damn…" He whispered out loud, "I thought I rid myself of those nightmares months ago…maybe I'm stressed?" The nightmare was a recurring one. He had many nightmares, and in time they all faded, but this one was an exception. It did not happen every night, nowadays it was very scarce, but when it did happen, it felt realer than usual. It was probably his argument with C.C. that triggered it, but he wondered why…

Then it hit him, harder than anything else, "How could I be so oblivious?" He spoke to himself.

He understood why C.C. grew sour when he spoke of destroying geass, especially when he spoke with such distaste towards the supernatural ability. He placed his hand on C.C.'s sleeping head, "You were alone for so long, so now when you've found some companionship, you are afraid you'll lose it yet are too stubborn to admit it." He whispered with complete sincerity and kindness, "You call me a fool, but you are a bigger fool than I. You are a fool to think after everything, I would betray you. I could never turn against my closest ally, my dearest witch." Honestly he expected her to reply, probably a snarky comment about how he was an idiot to trust her, or how she was merely passing time, but she was still sleeping peacefully.

"I guess I'll apologize in the morning." Lelouch finished before closing his eyes and drifting into a deep sleep.

When his breathing reached a certain rhythm indicating his slumber, a grateful and joyful smile graced C.C.'s "sleeping" face, "You are such a strange boy…" She whispered before joining him.

 **The End… (Not really though. Keep reading…if you want. You do you.)**

 **A Few Weeks Later: January 24** **th** **, 2019**

When he first arrived in Evora a few weeks ago, the Britannian forces did not move from Lisbon, so Cornelia suggested they move forward. They ended up fighting in the small city of Montemor-o-Novo which was in between Evora and Lisbon.

It was unsettling the small amount of enemy troops they fought, not even Nonette was present. Cornelia deduced they were fortifying Lisbon, and having Montemor-o-Novo was a distraction, but they were so wrong.

A knightmare appeared in the skies above. It was golden with red lining, and was similar to the Lancelot in terms of how it functioned. It wielded two MVS, and equipped some sort of device which destroyed knightmares with ease. The greatest surprise was the float system which although obsolete compared to the Lancelot's wings, still gave it an upper hand.

Even with the new knightmare's similar design, the Lancelot was still superior, and Suzaku's skills were unmatched, but the fight ended unexpectedly when the Lancelot suddenly fell out of the sky. Everyone watched in shock as the Lancelot plummeted, but Lelouch's shock was short lived when he saw how the new knightmare went into destroy the Lancelot.

Quickly thinking Zero reached out with his power, and pulled the cockpit away from danger. The new knightmare noticed too late, but still destroyed the Lancelot with his elbow mounted weapon. By saving Suzaku, Zero unknowingly revealed his location which allowed Jeremiah Gottwald to make his move. The forces were retreating to Evora, so Zero went to follow but then his armor fell apart and disappeared, leaving him vulnerable.

He was utterly shocked something which his adversary noticed, garnering an audible, triumphant laugh from the cyborg. When he heard the laughter, he turned to face Jeremiah and was shocked to see the man alive. It was over a year ago when Jeremiah disappeared, assumed dead. He then noticed the strange device on the man's left eye. It was a moment of confusion, but then he saw it; the inverted, blue geass symbol present in Jeremiah's left eye.

After deactivating Lelouch's geass, the former lord wasted no time, and went to attack with a blade erupting from his arm. His attack was stopped by an explosion which erupted into a bloom of smoke. Lelouch used this as his escape, and ran from the scene. He then noticed the Alexanders perched atop the various buildings. W-0 and other reinforces finally arrived giving Lelouch a small sense of relief as they retreated. When he made it to the outskirts of the city, he reactivated his geass and flew to Evora.

When he arrived in Evora, he questioned Suzaku on what happened, and the boy explained how he did not know. According to Suzaku, one second he was going to strike, the next he was in an ejected cockpit, and he had no memory of what happened in between. They were now at a loss since the Lancelot, their main leading force, was destroyed and Zero was somehow compromised.

The calm lasted no more than a handful of hours before the Knight of Nine appeared with more Britannian forces, among them the faux-Lancelot and Jeremiah. Before they arrived Zero contemplated several courses of action, and was at a loss. It was impossible for him to near Jeremiah without being affected by his geass.

There was also the issue of the golden knightmare which was near Jeremiah. Lelouch speculates the pilot's geass is what caused the Lancelot to fall out of the sky, but he was not sure due to Suzaku's lack of memories.

As he walked through the town center he saw the various refugees who were forced out of their homes by the war. He thought nothing of them, but then his eyes landed on a specific man. The male was calmly walking with the hordes of people, a straw hat tilted down to hide his face. Lelouch realized who it was and smiled. It seemed luck was on his side.

When the battle started Jeremiah quickly activated his canceller. Lelouch was hidden near Jeremiah, but it still reached him. It gave him an idea on its range which he determined was over a hundred yards. Jeremiah quickly found Lelouch (not like he was really hiding) thus starting the chase.

Various explosions rang in the distance followed by the sound of gunfire. Lelouch did not hesitate to run through the labyrinth-like streets of Evora. Jeremiah followed him closely, just as Lelouch planned.

"Zero!"

Lelouch ducked into an alley to catch his breath, "Leila, what's wrong?"

The W-0 commander spoke with urgency through his headset, "What happened? Naruse saw you deactivate your armor."

"Oi Zero!" Ryo Sayama's voiced followed, "Where are you? Yukiya saw you haul ass away from the fight."

"Actually it seems he doesn't have his armor anymore." Yukiya joined in.

Lelouch peered over the corner, looking for the angry Jeremiah before bolting out of the ally, "Yukiya saw correctly. My geass was deactivated by Jeremiah."

"How is that possible? Does he have a geass as well?" Leila expressed her disbelief.

"No…I fear it's worse than that. It is possible Britannia managed to reverse engineer geass, which will only be disastrous for us." Lelouch explained as he continued running towards the meeting location.

"That doesn't make any sense!" Ryo shouted, "I thought you said geass was supernatural or some shit. How the hell could they reverse engineer it?"

"Honestly I do not know, but Jeremiah's geass is very different from what I know. The Geass Order's biggest purpose was to investigate geass and its power. When we raided their headquarters, we found out that much, but now that they moved to Britannia we cannot know their progress, but with Jeremiah we can assume the worst." Lelouch finished speaking before he ran into another alley to catch his breath.

"Ryo, Yukiya, rejoin with Ashley, Akito, and I. We are currently fighting the golden knightmare!" Ayano's voice joined causing Lelouch to freeze.

"You three get out of there! Do not engage that knightmare! He's a geass user, so do not engage!" Lelouch shouted.

Akito and Ayano quickly retreated, but Ashley remained, "If you think I'll run like some coward, than you know nothing Zero!" Ashley shouted as his Alexander charged.

"Ashley you idiot get back!" Ayano shouted, but her comrade ignored her.

Akito quickly equipped his rifle and aimed it at the enemy. Both he and Ayano were now several feet away from the two battling knightmare. After a quick trade of blows, the knightmare stepped back to collect themselves, "This asshole isn't half bad!" Ashley shouted happily. Then red rings appeared around his eyes, and he froze.

From Akito's and Ayano's point of view, the Alexander completely froze after it stepped back. Akito didn't hesitate in firing his rifle which halted the golden knightmare's assault. Ayano then maneuvered her Alexander to jump through the air, and smash into the opposing knightmare.

"Ashley! Are you okay?!" Ayano shouted but received no reply.

Within Ashley's cockpit, he sat their unmoving with his features seemingly frozen. After a second the red rings around his pupils faded, and he unfroze, "What the hell?! What just happened?" He asked.

"No time, just get moving!" Ayano replied as she followed Akito in a retreat. Ashley sat confused momentarily before following his friends.

"Zero, I think their geass lets them freeze people, and it seems to only work within a certain range." Akito spoke in a calm and quiet voice despite the current situation.

Lelouch heard this, and found it reasonable. It made sense with what he's seen, and what has happened, "Than it's a good idea I separated them…I have favor to ask of W-0. I need you to distract that knightmare until I tell you otherwise. Keep your distance, and use long ranged attacks to avoid their geass. I need to deal with Jeremiah and his geass canceller before I deal with that knightmare."

"Why don't you just tear it apart now?" Ashley commented.

"It is clear those two were sent to deal with me. One removes my impenetrable armor, the other freezes me long enough to kill me, perfect plan. Even if I were to charge that knightmare, I'll be frozen before I damage it. My powers will not reach it if I am far away, so there isn't really anything I could do."

"It's possible to fly over it, since it is keeping to the ground due to our artillery and anti-air." Akito suggested.

"I could, but Jeremiah is already trailing behind me. If I were to fly over his head, I would be vulnerable to his geass which would then send to my death. I know this is a lot to ask, but I promise to dispose of Jeremiah quickly."

"This will work, but they cannot keep it up forever." Leila added.

"I know, but they do not need much time. My plan will soon be executed." Lelouch said as he arrived at his destination. He activated his geass, allowing the armor to surround him before turning the corner.

Waiting there was a blonde male teenager about his age who dressed as a civilian, and who leaned against the building's wall. He faced the armored figure, his green eyes unknowingly meeting Lelouch's. "You took your time, Zero."

* * *

Jeremiah followed Zero closely, but lost sight of him for a few minutes. He realized how Zero ran towards the eastern part of the city away from the fighting which was mainly in the west and northern part. A big portion of the fighting was ariybd the Knight of Nine and Cornelia who were currently clashing. His thinking stopped when he turned the corner to find Zero running down the street.

It slightly baffled him that Zero was a teenager but he didn't really care who was behind the mask. Zero was his enemy, and he would loyally follow his orders in Lady Marianne's honor.

Jeremiah chased Zero into another narrow alley which then ended at a fence. Zero looked around for a way out, but found nothing, so he turned to face Jeremiah, "So you are Zero. Honestly I am unimpressed." Jeremiah stopped walking a few feet away.

Lelouch stared at him angrily with his violet eyes narrowing, "Would you prefer I get into my armor? It would be pointless since you can deactivate it at any time. That's a very unique geass, did V.V. give it to you?"

Jeremiah smiled confidently, "Trying to gain information? Even when facing death you waste your breath." A blade extended from Jeremiah's forearm.

Lelouch eyed the blade curiously, "You were given prosthetics? No…you were completely rebuilt. You're more machine than man now. What an idiot to allow V.V. and that order experiment on you."

Jeremiah eyed the boy cautiously. Something was not right, "At this point you are only stalling, aren't you?"

Lelouch's serious expression changed when he smiled, "You couldn't be more right."

Jeremiah readied himself, believing a knightmare or Europian forces were going to ambush him, but then a powerful weight forced him to the ground. He was pushed to his knees before the weight increased, and he was forced to lay face down, "What is this…" He grunted in pain.

He used all his cybernetic strength to push himself up, but the weight was too much. He struggled to look at the boy in front of him due to his face being pressed against the pavement.

"You fool…your geass is useless against me." Jeremiah's left eye opened revealing the inverted geass symbol. The weight then disappeared allowing Jeremiah to push himself up. His limbs shook violently, and he felt liquid dripping down his face. He faced Zero again, snarling like a beast, but was left flabbergasted when he saw who stood there. The raven haired boy was gone replaced by a blonde civilian.

"Who are you?! Where is Zero?!" Jeremiah shouted. He attempted to stand, but his left leg gave out on him forcing him to kneel. Then the weight returned and he his face kissed the concrete again. He fought again, but it only caused severe pain.

"Jeremiah Gottwald, to think you are still alive after so long." Zero spoke causing Jeremiah to tense. The cyborg went to activate his geass canceller, but Zero quickly sent him flying out of the alley and across the street. Jeremiah smashed through a white brick wall and landed in a garden courtyard. Jeremiah struggled to stand, and could barely kneel

Back at the alley's entrance Zero turned to the blonde behind him, "Thank you Oz. I apologize for bringing you into this."

"I just repaid you for saving Euliya and I back in Hungary, and I am not in this. I already told you I am not a part of this war." Oz expressed.

Zero nodded, "And I respect that, but still thank you for doing this. I hope you and Euliya the best, and maybe after this war is over we can meet for a celebration."

Oz turned to leave, a smile adorning his features, "I hope that means you'll win this war. I don't want my future children to live in a war torn Europia."

Lelouch smiled too, "I'll try not to disappoint." With that Orpheus too off to regroup with the refugees being moved to Elvas.

Zero shook his head, "He would be a great ally." Thinking back when he first met the two lovers.

He met Orpheus Zevon, and his lover Euliya a year ago in Hungary. He and C.C. were on their way to first meet Leila, but sidetracked when C.C. sensed a very faint sign of geass. This small signal was enough for Lelouch to investigate, and they ended up in a small, uncharted town. When they first confronted Orpheus he acted defensively, believing them to be agents from the Geass Order who came to kill him.

After they explained who they were, and why Lelouch wished to know the full extent of Orpheus' geass history, the blonde accepted reluctantly. Orpheus and his lover, Euliya, explained their involvement with the order and how they were taken there as young children and against their will. Then how they escaped, and how they travelled for months before settling in the small village.

Lelouch believed there story, and asked Orpheus and Euliya to swear to never use their Geass again. The two easily agreed, and Lelouch decided to leave them be, demeaning them peaceful and honest. From what Orpheus explained, his geass was very unique and very dangerous. Absolute Transformation, a geass which allows Orpheus to take the appearance of anyone he chose, down to the very mannerisms.

Though it was greatly flawed by its 5 minute duration, and with its one hour resting period after every usage. Even then with that ability Orpheus and Euliya could live a much better life, but they insisted they were happy as they were, so who was Lelouch to try and convince them?

He and C.C. were a good ways away from the village, but then they noticed the smoke rising in the distance, and Lelouch rushed to the village leaving C.C. to watch the cart. Four Sutherlands burned down the village, and killed the rest of the villagers, but he arrived in time to save Orpheus and Euliya who were hiding in an old cellar. He assumed the small group of Sutherlands were more of a splinter-cell like group sent in to covertly kill the escaped geass users.

Orpheus and Euliya were extremely grateful, and Orpheus even more so to the point of insisting some sort of repayment. All Lelouch asked for was a favor; favor which was saved for another time. He also reassured Orpheus that it would not involve fighting, after noticing his uncertain expression.

They salvaged what they could, and took a wagon once belonging to a now dead villager before setting off. Orpheus and Euliya remained away from the big cities, and constantly moved out of fear of being found again. Eventually they ended up in Portugal before the war, and coincidently were part of the refugees leaving Evora.

* * *

Zero looked toward the fallen wall, and made his way over to it.

Jeremiah finally noticed the leaking oil and blood coming off him, showing him how truly injured he was. He then heard a crunching noise come from the fallen wall he crashed through, and quickly activated his canceller.

He watched Zero's armor disappear leaving the casually dressed teenager he was chasing without protection, "You are foolish Zero, to face me without your geass." Jeremiah finally stood, but tumbled when he tried to step forward.

He kept himself from falling down by stabbing his arm blade into the ground for support. He looked down and saw his right lower leg crumbled to scraps. He faced Zero again who still stood a few feet away; at this rate he won't reach Zero on time.

"Now that I know more about your geass, I feel foolish for running. It really isn't all that threatening, when I distance myself from your partner in that golden knightmare. I will commend your plan, it was well thought out, but not executed correctly. I feel you allowed your vengeance get the best of you."

Jeremiah looked at him incredulously, "Vengeance? This has nothing to do with vengeance." The injured cyborg took a shaky step forward which made Lelouch tense slightly.

"If not vengeance then what? Loyalty? Then tell me what made you so loyal to V.V. and the Emperor? Is it because they gave you geass." Lelouch was speaking with such a condescending tone that only worked to make Jeremiah angrier.

"I have my reasons. I have my resolve to see this through…tell me Zero…why do hold such hatred for Britannia and the Emperor?" Jeremiah took another step before launching himself at Lelouch, ready to lung his blade through the boy, "Why have you turned against your country!" He shouted as his blade collided with Lelouch's armored forearm. Lelouch managed to barely beat the cyborg's enhanced speed, and grew angry as his adversary pressed down on his arm.

Before Jeremiah activated his geass canceller, Lelouch sent him crashing into the opposing building a split second before Jeremiah's canceller took effect. He stood tall and faced the injured Jeremiah, "As if I could love a country which threw me away!"

Jeremiah raised his head, confused by Lelouch's sudden outburst, "What are you saying?"

"I hate Britannia because I am Lelouch vi Britannia. My father allowed my mother's death, and allowed Nunnally to be paralyzed. It's because of him Nunnally and I lost everything…our mother, our futures! That is why I became Zero…to create a world where my father's tyranny will never take hold! I became Zero to kill my father." Lelouch finished his monologue, but did not expect the relieved laughter to erupt from Jeremiah.

"Of course…it all makes sense. I now understand why you seemed so familiar…you did this for Lady Marianne." Jeremiah supported himself with his arm blade again.

"I'm so sorry, Master Lelouch…I was in Aries Villa, it was my first assignment, yet I failed to protect Lady Marianne. I failed to carry through with my loyalty…forgive me Master Lelouch, I failed in protecting Lady Marianne." Jeremiah was on the verge of tears as he spoke with such passion.

"Jeremiah…then why are following V.V.?" Lelouch asked.

Jeremiah met his eyes, "Due to my failure I grew angry, then when I heard of the death of Lady Marianne's children, I was lost in my own grief…I believed everything I did was in honor of Lady Marianne, but in the end I ended up nearly killing her son. Please Master Lelouch, kill me so I must repent for my dishonorable acts…If I am struck down by you, I will die with no regrets."

Lelouch watched him with uncertainty. Jeremiah seemed to be speaking honestly, if his tears were anything to go by. He had to test Jeremiah's honesty, so he activated his geass. In less than a second his obsidian armor covered him, and his jet black cloak protected him like a sentient barrier. He stopped a few feet away from Jeremiah, close enough to be struck down should Jeremiah activate his canceller. He stood ready for an attack, but nothing came.

Then Jeremiah moved, and Zero tensed, but the cyborg did not attack instead he got down on both knees and lowered his head, "Know Master Lelouch…that I only followed Lady Marianne. I created the Purist Faction believing I could avenge Lady Marianne's children…yet here you stand. I thank you for doing this…"

Zero stared at the broken man with his emotionless mask before raising his hand. Jeremiah closed his eyes believing this to be his end, but after a few seconds nothing came, "This world is very cruel…and humans are very corruptible. True loyalty seems to be a forgotten ideal today, but as I stand here I know that is not completely lost. If you truly wish to repent, then serve me with undying devotion. Prove to me the worth of your steadfast loyalty."

Jeremiah was now looking at Zero with disbelief, but then Lelouch removed the helmet allowing Jeremiah to see Lelouch staring down at him with his eyes glowing crimson, "So Jeremiah Gottwald shall you be my knight?"

Jeremiah bowed his head, "I am unworthy, but I shall faithfully serve you until the second I die."

Lelouch's head was encased by the helmet once again, "Then from this moment forward… you are the Knight of **Zero**."

THE END...

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you for reading. I know this rather late to be related to New Years, but I got ahead of myself and didn't stop. I know characters might seem OOC, and I apologize. This was originally meant to be New Year fluff piece, but I let the excitement of the new season get to me.**


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